The Truth is Lying Next to You
by purplepagoda
Summary: Bones and Booth are given a case that could take them from D.C. and their loved ones. They're sent halfway across the country. What will these partners learn about themselves and each other while there? What will change between these partners?
1. Chapter 1

"Booth why did you call me over here?" Temperance asks as she enters Seeley's office in the hoover building.

"Nice to see you to Bones."

"What do you want?"

"We're going away," he informs her.

"What are you talking about?"

"We are headed to Arizona," he smiles.

"You're joking right?"

"Nope," he shakes his head.

"Why are we going to Arizona?"

"We're going there on a case," he tells her.

"What case?"

"They've found the bodies of several pregnant women in a very short amount of time."

"And how do we figure in?"

"They need you to examine the bodies," he tells her.

"Why?"

"They need your help."

"Why?"

"Because none of the women were still pregnant when they were found."

"What do you mean?"

"There are no babies," he clarifies.

"Where are they?"

"No one knows. And nobody knows if drugs were administered to indue labor, or if the women went into labor naturally, or if the babies were cut out of them."

"So then why are we going under cover?"

"We have to pose as a couple," he tells her.

"Why?"

"Because you're pregnant."

"What? No I'm not," she disagrees.

"You will be," he smiles.

"What do you mean?"

"You have to pretend to be pregnant."

"How am I going to do that?"

"They've already sent everything to where we're staying. Well almost everything."

"Booth..."

"Oh by the way I have our marriage certificate."

"What do you mean you have our marriage certificate?"

He pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to her, "This is our marriage certificate, and the rings are in my pocket."

"We have to go undercover, and pretend to be married, and having a baby?"

"Yes," he nods.

"As who?"

"Seeley Booth, and Temperance Brennan-Booth."

"What?"

"We're going to..."he gets cut off.

"Booth I don't understand. How are we going undercover as ourselves?"

"We're married."

"Ok, but what are our jobs going to be?"

"You're going to examine the bodies after we get there."

"And then what?"

"Then you're going to teach a class at the local high school."

"On what?"

"Anthropology," he tells her.

"I'm going to teach a class on forensic anthropology to high schoolers?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"You're going to be teaching it from a cultural standpoint, not a forensic one."

"Oh."

"So you should probably call me Seeley."

"Why? You don't like that name," she reminds him.

"Yes, but that is my name."

"What are you going to call me?"

"I'm going to call you by your name," he answers.

"Are you going to call me Bones?"

"Is that your name?"

"You think it is."

"I'm going to call you by your given name."

"Which one?"

"The one you use."

"So I have to pretend to be married to you, and having your baby, and teach high school?"

"Yes."

"In Arizona?"

"Yes."

"When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you get your fake stomach."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh here you should probably put this on," he tells her as he pulls out a ring box. He slips a gold band on his finger. He then slips a gold band, and a diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"I hate you."

"Come on now we have to go get your pregnant belly," he smirks.

"How pregnant am I going to be?"

"Five months," he tells her.

"Did you ok this with Cam?"

"Yup." he nods.

"And..." he cuts her off.

"Bones I cleared it with everyone."

Half an hour later they're in the parking garage that belongs to the Hoover building. She frowns at him as he turns the car on.

"Booth.... Seeley how long are we going to be undercover?"

"As long as it takes."

"So..."

"It could be months."

"Shouldn't we go home and pack?"

"The FBI sent everything that we'll need."

"But..."

"Do you need your pillow or something?"

"No."

"Your laptop?"

"No I have it."

"Then what do you need?"

"I need my own stuff."

"Sorry," he tells her as they pull out of the parking garage.

"Sure you are," she huffs.

"So what are we going to name the baby?"

"Since the baby is non-existent it doesn't need a name."

"What are we having?"

"Right now, I've got a pain in the ass," she answers him more than a little perturbed.

"That is not what I meant."

"I don't care. Let's just get this over with."

"We'll be at the airport in a couple of minutes chill out."

"I don't have a passport," she tells him.

"We're going to Arizona."

"But I need identification."

"I've got your drivers license."

"What do you mean? I have it in my purse, under my feet."

"I have the one with your new name on it."

He lifts his butt off the seat, "Grab my wallet out of my pocket."

She does so begrudgingly.

"Your license is in there."

She pulls it out. It's the same license, only with a different name on it.

They arrive at the airport not a moment too soon. They whiz through security, and are quickly ushered onto the plane. Temperance is utterly surprised when Seeley leads her to first class.

"What are we doing back here?"

"Getting in our seats before take off."

"Are we supposed to be back here? Or are you trying to get in trouble again?"

"We are supposed to be back here."

"The FBI sprung for first class?"

"They figured since we might have to go away for months, and not see any of our friends or family that the least they could do was spring for first class."

"You're lying."

"Ok. I promised that on our next trip somewhere we'd drive," he admits.

Their flight seems much longer than it actually is. Both of them manage to get a little bit of shut eye. Finally they land. They grab a bite before leaving the airport, and proceed to the parking lot. Temperance follows Booth. He stops at a black SUV parked next to a silver sedan.

"Did you get a rental?"

"No," he answers.

"So whose car is this?"

"This is my car while we're here."

He moves to the gas tank. He pulls open the door and grabs a set of keys.

"How far is where we are staying from here?"

"Fifteen or twenty minutes."

"Do you have a siren?"

"No. Why do you care?"

"I'm tired, and I just want to go to sleep, so the faster you go the quicker we get there."

"You have to follow me."

"What do you mean?"

"Temperance that car is yours," he points to the silver sedan parked next to the SUV.

She opens the door to the gas tank and finds a set of keys.

"Is that safe?"

"Probably not, but it's simple. If you get lost, or we get separated just call me."

"Ok," she rolls her eyes at him.


	2. Chapter 2

They arrive at a group of condos twenty five minutes later. She gets her belonging and follows him up a wet sidewalk. He stops in front of unit B3 and pulls out a set of keys. He pushes the door open and they step into their temporary home. She drops her belongings on the dining room table. She locates a set of stairs and follows them to a second floor. She enters the living room. Several feet in front of her is a wall with an opening. By this point Booth has joined her.

"There is a bathroom on the left, just like downstairs. In front of you is a bedroom, instead of the office that is in its place downstairs."

"So whose bedroom is that?" She points ahead.

He leads her into the dark room. She discovers that the room is empty. They wander out. He points her to the opposite end of the hall that the bathroom is at. She wanders into a bedroom. He flips on the light. She finds a bed with bedding, two bedside stands, a bureau and a T.V. She spins around and finds to doors. She opens the one on the right first, she finds a closet full of clothing. She closes the door, and opens the door on the left. She finds a bathroom. A bathroom that is clearly for a couple. There are two sinks, a toilet, a bathtub, and a shower next to the bathtub.

"We have to share this room don't we?" she questions as she collapses on the bed.

"Yup."

"I'm going to go take a shower," she informs him.

"Ok."

She starts looking in drawers for pajamas. Finally she finds some. She stops in the doorway of the bathroom.

"This is creepy."

"What?"

"All of this," she answers.

"I know," he agrees.

She slips past the doorway and closes the door.

Finally around eleven o'clock they both settle into bed. They instinctively go to a certain side of the bed. Temperance climbs into the left side, and Seeley into the right. They both crawl under the covers making sure not to touch.

Just after eight the next morning Temperance wakes up. She realizes that there is an arm around her. She opens her eyes and finds herself staring at a grey t-shirt that is covering Booth's chest. She removes his arm and wanders into the bathroom. As she is swishing mouthwash when he joins her. He grabs his toothbrush and begins brushing. As he finishes brushing he finds her staring at her teeth in the mirror.

"Are you mesmerized by your own pearly whites?"

She just shoots him a look.

"You have nice teeth you know," he tells her.

She turns to face him, "So do you," she admits.

"You've still got some toothpaste on you," he tells her.

He wipes the toothpaste dribble off her face. He just looks at her for a minute. She stares back. Suddenly without notice their lips collide. He flips off the light in the bathroom as they move out the door. He's pulling her hair out of it's sloppy bun when her hand touches his chest. Their lips disconnect.

"We shouldn't," she tells him half-heartidly.

"We're supposed to married Temperance," he argues.

She stares into his eyes, and all bets are off.

At noon they head to the grocery store. Temperance leans on the cart as she pushes to try to maintain a sense of balance with the added weight of a pregnant stomach. They return to the condominium with bags full of groceries. After putting them all away Temperance finds Seeley staring at his watch.

"Do we have somewhere to be?"

"You've got to go examine those bodies," he reminds her.

"Ok," she agrees.

"Do you want me to come?"

"I just assumed that you were since you insist on driving me everywhere."

"Oh, yeah," he nods.

He takes her to the local coroner's office. She puts on a lab coat, and gloves and begins her examination. By the time she gets to the fourth and final body she is exhausted.

"So?"

"This victim's injuries are consistent with the other victims. She was bound by the wrists. And the iliac..."

"She gave birth, shortly before her death?"

"Precisely."

"So are you done?"

"Yes," she nods as she puts the body back.

"Hungry?"

"Starving."

"Let's go out to dinner."

"Where?"

"We'll ask Bill about places to eat around here."

"Who's Bill?"

"The coroner."

"Right," she nods.

After dinner they head back to the condo. Temperance puts a movie in while Booth makes popcorn. He sits down beside her, placing the bowl of popcorn between them.

"So are you having fun?"

"Death isn't fun."

"That isn't what I was talking about."

"What were you talking about?"

"I meant are you having fun being pregnant?"

"Not particularly."

"You get to go to work tomorrow," he smiles.

"What are you going to do while I'm at work?"

"I'm going to be a body guard."

"Of who?"

"A local senator."

"Why?"

"Because he makes a lot of people very angry. He needs protection."

"Sounds exciting," she pretends to care.

"So hypothetically if we did have a baby..."

"Booth we're not really married, and we're not really having a baby," she reminds him.

"But if in some alternate universe we did what would you want?"

"I don't think what I want matters. I wouldn't get to chose the gender of our child."

"But if you could what would you pick?"

"Seeley I don't want kids, and even if I did it wouldn't matter."

"What wouldn't?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm indifferent."

"You don't want a sweet little girl?"

"It doesn't matter one way or another."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"I think that it's a girl," he tells her.

"Booth the baby is imaginary," she reminds him.

"I know."

"Why would you want a girl?"

"I'll take whatever God gives me, but I'd like to have a girl."

"Why?"

"I already have a boy."

"Are you going to shut up so that we can watch this movie?"

"Are we going to talk about what happened this morning?"

"A momentary lapse in judgement, that can't happen again because it could compromise the case."

"How would it compromise the case? We're supposed to be married to each other, with a baby on the way. How does sex complicate that?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But Bones..."

"You have to stop calling me that if you want it to be believable."

"Temperance I want to talk about it," he tells her seriously.

"We will," she promises.

"When?"

"When we get home."

"You have no way of knowing how long that is going to be."

"Maybe I'll get kidnaped tomorrow and we can catch this guy, and then we can go home."

"It will be at least a month."

"What do you mean it will be at least a month?"

"He doesn't take any of these women until they're at least six months along."

"Does he keep them until the babies are to term?"

"I don't know. We don't know. We know the identity of the victims, but we don't know how many more there could be, or who this guy is."

"When was the first victim taken?"

"December of '06."

"And there have been four victims?"

"Yes," he nods.

Temperance turns the DVD player off.

"What does he do with these babies?"

"I don't know. Maybe he gets rid of them, or maybe he keeps them. It's hard to tell."

"He basically just wants to play on an expectant mother's worst fear," she points out.

"I guess."

"This guy would have to have some sort of medical training," she adds.

"How much medical training do you have to have to deliver a baby?"

"An EMT, or a nurse, or a vetrinarian."

"So this could be anyone."

"I don't think that it's a man."

"What do you mean?"

"What motivation would a man have to kidnap a woman and take her baby and do who knows what with it?

"What are you thinking?"

"What if it's a woman?"

"Why would a woman do that?"

"Maybe she had a child that she lost, or she could have a child. People are psychopaths, and most of the time their reasons don't make sense."

"I know. When did you become so interested in the perpetrators reasoning?"

"I hang around with you too much," she smirks.


	3. Chapter 3

"Did you have a good day at work?"

"I just love teaching hormonal, moody, disrespectful teenagers."

"I'm sensing some sarcasm."

"Sorry, I just... they are so annoying."

"I know."

"So do you like teaching?"

"I like teaching, I just don't like teaching them."

"They just have to get used to you, and you have to figure out how to handle them."

"I know."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Can we talk?"

"About what?"

"Being married."

"What about it?"

"It's nice."

"What? Being married?"

"Not having all of the tension between us. It's nice to not to have to be so uptight about every move we make."

"Yes it is."

"If you want to talk about..."

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean why not?"

"You're the one who is open to talking about sex."

"Yes, but you're not."

"I am now."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No why would I be mad at you?"

"Because we..."

"That was hormones, and jet-lag, and impaired judgement..."

"It was not."

"Whatever, I'm not going to talk about it."

"Ok," he agrees.

"I don't like being pregnant."

"Why not?"

"It's uncomfortable."

"But if you were really pregnant then you'd be bringing a new life into the world."

"I don't want that responsibility."

"Why?"

"I just don't."

"Temperance why? You'd make a great mother."

"I... I like being in charge. I like my life the way it is."

"You're scared," he accuses.

"Of what?"

"That genetics predetermines your actions."

"Science has shown that..."

"Temperance you would never leave your child."

"What if it was unintentional? What if I died? You can't plan that. I wouldn't want any child to have to go through what I went through."

"You don't want any child to feel unwanted."

"Exactly."

"Temperance your parents, despite their flaws they loved you, and they wanted you."

"You don't leave someone who you love and want."

"You do, if you can't protect them. If given the choice to keep your loved one alive, or stay and worry about their safety every single day for the rest of their life."

"But..."

"What your parents did was not commendable, it wasn't right, but they didn't have much of a choice."

"Yes they did. They could have stayed and fought. You fight for the people you love. You fight to stay with the ones you love."

"Sometimes you can't."

"If you're too consumed with yourself to..."

"That wasn't it."

"Parents should be there for their children, always. If I did ever have a child I would want them to know that no matter what I would never leave them. But I can't promise that, because I don't get to choose. I wouldn't want to leave them alone."

"What about your husband?"

"You?"

"I mean if you had a kid would you get married?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"If I were to have a child I might get married."

"Why?"

"A child needs to be in a stable environment, they need to know that they have two parents who love them and would give up anything for them. When parents aren't together, it creates a tension that the child can feel, and... it just hurts them."

"Take the kid out of the situation is there any other situation in which you would get married?"

"I don't know. I can't say. I don't think that I would, but if things were right, if I knew that it was going to be permanent, then maybe. If I knew that I could live with that person for the rest of my life, I might consider it."

"It's not the person you can live with, it's the one you can't live without."

"It would also depend on how the question, and opportunity were presented, and of course by whom."

"Of course," he smiles at her.

"Why are you so interested?"

"We're supposed to be a married couple. What do we say when people ask why we got married?"

"We tell them that it was a shotgun wedding."

"Do you know what that means?"

"I do," she nods.

"Wow, you never cease to surprise me."

"That's what you keep me around for."

"Let's celebrate."

"What?"

"Our marriage," he breaks out his charm smile.

"Booth..."

"Bones..."

She corrects herself, "Seeley I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"It's just not."

"There is a bottle of wine in the fridge."

"I have work tomorrow."

"What's one glass of wine?"

"You don't drink wine, and you have work tomorrow."

"So?"

"No. I don't want to be late for work."

"Why would you be late?"

"Alcohol impairs judgement and..."

"You are afraid that we'll..."

"What's for dinner?" she quickly changes the subject.

"What would you like?"

"Surprise me."

"What makes you think that I'm going to cook?"

"Cause if you want to eat you'll have to."

"You're not going to cook?"

"Not tonight."

"What are you going to do while I cook?"

"Take a nap."

"What? That's hardly fair. Besides why would you possibly need a nap?"

"I'm tired."

"You slept for at least eight hours last night."

"I'm not used to..."

"It's not that much of a time difference, besides I've seen you stay up for days on end."

"I'm just worn out. Is that a crime?"

"No."

"So can I take a nap or not?"

"I guess," he smiles.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Maybe I'll have dinner without you."

"But..."

"I was thinking maybe I'd order Thai food."

"Seeley!"

"Would you like some?"

"That's a rhetorical question right?"

"You tell me Dr. Brennan."

"It's Dr. Brennan-Booth," she smiles playfully.

"Right," he nods.


	4. Chapter 4

Six weeks after arriving in Arizona things have become routine. Much to her surprise Temperance actually begins to enjoy teaching. Booth enjoys the more laid back nature of being a body guard, but misses Parker. They don't give into temptation anymore, but they don't talk about what happened either. They make a few new friends at work, and with their neighbors a few doors down. Little do they know it's the calm before the storm.

On Saturday evening Temperance is at the grocery store getting groceries for the next week. She gets a roast for their dinner after church. She still couldn't believe that he had persuaded her to go to church. Luckily it wasn't a Catholic church, it was much more relaxed. She has begun to warm to 'their' nondenominational church. She starts down an aisle in search of some moisturizer. She rolls past deodorant, feminine products, and a wall of hair ties when she suddenly stops, and comes to a terrible realization.

When she gets home Booth is tidying the office of their clutter. She hastily puts away the groceries. She slips by the bathroom quietly and heads up the stairs with one very important purchase. Ten minutes later Booth wanders into their bedroom, looking for her. He finds her laying in bed with her hand on her fake stomach. He notices her red eyes.

"Something wrong?" he asks politely as he sits down on the edge of the bed, next to her.

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Have you been crying?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I'd like to know what's bothering you."

"I think that we may be in trouble," she tells him.

"Why would you think that?"

"This isn't going to work."

"What, why wouldn't it?"

"I...I'm stupid."

"Temperance you're brilliant,"he reminds her.

"You're enjoying this whole marriage thing way too much."

"It's easy."

"How?"

"You make it easy."

"How?"

"Cause you're you."

"What are you saying?"

"I wouldn't mind being married, if I were married to someone like you."

"Stop. I do not want to talk about marriage with you right now."

"You know we should start pretending to get excited for the baby. We could paint the nursery."

"Slow down."

"What's bothering you? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Extremely."

"Why?"

"This is all too real."

"We're just pretending to be..."

"We're pretending to be married, but it's almost as if we don't have to pretend."

"What are you saying?"

"I've totally blown this case. We're going to have to... I don't know what we're going to do. I don't know how to fix this."

"Fix what? Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course."

"I don't think we need to fix anything. This works, we work."

"What are you saying?"

"I love you."

"What?"

"I love you," he repeats.

"No... no you don't."

"Yes I do."

"Why would you say that? Are you trying to be convincing since we're undercover?" She doesn't give him a chance to answer before she continues, "Because you don't have to. It's just the two of us, and I know that the neighbors can't hear us."

"Shut up," he tells her.

"I..."

"Temperance I love you."

"I don't think that I can handle this."

"Handle what?"

"I can't do this. I can't... pretend to be married to you."

"Temperance calm down."

"Calm down? Are you going to take it back? Because you can't."

"I know, I wouldn't take it back. I meant it."

"No you didn't. I'm... we're incompatible. And I... I don't want to ruin our partnership because we were projecting or..."

"I'm not. I love you. I've known that for a while."

"Booth it doesn't matter, you can't love me."

"Sure I can."

"No you can't."

"Why not?"

"I screwed up, and I put our investigation in jeopardy and, I can't fix this. They'll separate us, and you're going to hate me. Things are going to be so awkward, and..." she rambles.

"Could you just tell me what's going on? Coherently?"

"No. I don't want this, I can't do this. We're not supposed to do this we're co-workers and..."

"I love you. I'm sorry if that freaks you out. I'm sorry if you're not ready to hear that, or if you don't want to hear it. If you don't feel the same that's fine, but I need you to know how I feel about you. Things could get bad really fast with this, and I don't want something to happen to one of us and you not know how I feel about you."

"Please just stop. I... I'm having an emotional overload here."

"You don't have those, you compartmentalize."

"All of my compartments just exploded."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she shakes her head and walks away. He follows her out of the room flipping off the light.

"Where are you going?"

"For a drive."

"Do you want me to..."

"I want you to let me go. I need some space."

"Are you ok? Are you hyperventilating?"

"No, I just need some water, and some air."

"Temperance you shouldn't go anywhere when you're this upset."

"I'll be fine, I'm a grown adult."

She leaves the condo, and gets in her car. She turns it on, but goes nowhere. She looks down to put her bottle of water in the cup holder. She picks the receipt out of the cup holder. Halfway down the list her eyes stop. She crumples up the receipt and tosses aside. She loses it. She begins crying hysterically. She starts to dial Angela, but then decides not to. She could do this. She could do this on her own. Who was she kidding? She didn't know how to do this. She begins to call Sweets, she dials ten of the eleven numbers and then clears her screen. She's staring at her phone when it begins to ring.

"Hello?"

"You don't have your purse. If you plan to go very far you should come back and get it."

"I..."

"Are you crying?"

"Yes," she admits.

"Where are you?"

"In the parking lot."

"Temperance come inside. I want to talk about this."

"Fine," she huffs, dreading the awkward conversation they were about to partake in.


	5. Chapter 5

He's waiting on her when she comes in the door. He wraps his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. We can pretend that I didn't say it."

"No we can't."

"Good, because I meant it."

"I'm going to take a bath and go to bed," she informs him as she breaks free.

She makes it to the bedroom before he stops her. She sits down on the bed. He wipes the tears from her eyes.

"You're going to be ok. We're going to be ok. Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"

"No."

"You don't have to talk to me, you can call Sweets if you want."

"No, he'd only make it worse."

"I didn't mean to make you cry."

"You didn't make me cry."

"You know that I love you, and I'd never want to hurt you."

"I know."

"There is no one on this earth I'd rather be here with. There's no one in the universe I'd rather pretend to be married to, and having a baby with."

"That's good because I'm pregnant."

"I know," he touches her fake stomach.

"No you don't," she disagrees after flinching.

"Of course I do."

"No you don't. Seeley I'm pregnant," she reiterates.

"Of course you are, that's why you've got those fake stomachs."

"No. Temperance Brennan-Booth is not pregnant."

"I don't know what that means," he says her line.

"Temperance Brennan is," she answers.

"What? I don't understand."

"I..."

"I know that you're upset, and we'll talk about this but could it wait just a minute? I've really got to pee,"he announces abruptly.

"Sure," she rolls her eyes as he vacates the bed.

He wanders into the bathroom and makes his way to the toilet. He wanders to the sink and washes his hands. He turns to dry his hands on the towel hanging on the towel rack. He spots something shiny on the bathtub. He takes a few paces and stares at the edge of the bathtub. He picks up the object and returns to the bedroom.

"This is a pregnancy test," he informs her.

"I know what it is."

"It's positive," he reveals.

"Yeah I know," she nods.

"How does a fake baby fool a pregnancy test?"

"It doesn't," she answers.

"Wait what does this mean?"

"I'm pregnant. For real. There is actually something in there."

"Oh," he studies her facial expression.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes.

"Why are you sorry? We're equally at fault."

"I knew better. My judgement was..."

"We can't take it back, it's been done, and we have to deal with it."

"How?"

"We get to have a real baby."

"Seeley I..."

"Shh! Don't ruin it." He kisses her forehead

"But..."

"Temperance this is a good thing."

"No it's not. How long are we going to be undercover?"

"Until we catch this guy."

"Ok. That could take months. In a few months I'll be showing. How am I going to have a real baby bump under my fake one?"

"We'll figure it out."

"And how am I going to get prenatal care for the real baby when everyone around her thinks that I'm six and a half months pregnant?"

"You'll have to go somewhere else."

"We can't tell our..."

"Temperance it will work."

"How?"

"It just will."

"What if I really get kidnaped? We both know I can take care of myself, but I don't want to..."

"Slow down."

"I can't."

"We're having a baby."

"I know."

"A real one."

"I know."

"And she's going to be beautiful."

"She?"

"Yes."

"How can you be so calm? We're having a baby. I'm not ready to have a baby. I didn't plan on having a baby. What am I going to do when we go back to D.C.? Everyone will know that I got knocked up when we were undercover. Then they'll separate us and..."

"Temperance take a breath."

"I don't know what do with a baby. What if I drop it? What if it comes early? I don't know anything. What do I do if it cries I..."

"You're being irrational."

"I am fully aware."

"So then why are you doing it?"

"I'm scared shitless."

"SHH!"

"Why are you shhing me?"

"The baby can hear you."

"The embryo can not hear me, it does not have ears yet."

"I'm going to the bookstore."

"Why?"

"I'm going to buy you some books."

"On what?"

"What to expect when you're expecting, and a name book."

"Don't go."

"Why not?"

"Cause I'm freaking out, and I need you to fix it,"she admits vulnearbly.

"Temperance everything will be fine. We're going to be fine, you're going to be fine, and our daughter is going to be fine."

"Why are you so insistent upon it being a girl?"

"I just have a gut feeling."

"You can't take those to the bank."

"Why don't I go make you dinner while you sit in here and relax? Watch some T.V. and maybe even take a nap."

"I..."

"Just chillax."

"Did you just tell me to chillax?"

"I did."

"I'm pregnant,"she reminds him.

"Take a nice deep breath, we'll work this out."

"I can't do this. I don't even know if I want this."

"Trust me you do," he assures her.

"How can you know?"

"I've got a kid already. When you hold your... our baby in your arms for the first time all of the anxiety will just melt away. You'll stare in to that child's face and you'll know that it was worth it."

"What if it's not? What if we lose our jobs?"

"We'll get new ones."

"What if..."

"Please just chill out," he begs her as he hands her the remote.

She flips on the T.V. as he leaves the room, "I will try, but I won't be happy about it."


	6. Chapter 6

She finally comes out of their room for dinner. She finds chicken, creamed peas, and stuffing waiting on the dining room table for her.

"Hungry?"

"Yeah," she nods.

He pulls out her chair for her, and she takes a seat. She stares at the cherry table for a moment. He sits down and she digs into her food. Half an hour later he's in the kitchen doing dishes, and she's on the couch watching T.V.

"Hey I'm going to go take a shower."

"Yeah whatever," she remains entranced by the T.V.

When he comes down the stairs his hair is wet, he is wearing a black t-shirt, and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms in navy blue with black checks. He find her on the couch still watching T.V. She flips it off as she wanders over to the door and checks the locks.

"Do you hear that?" He asks her.

"Hear what?"

"I don't know. I think it's coming from outside."

She moves to the door and listens carefully. She motions for him to step aside. He does. She unlocks the door, and steps out. Behind a bush next to the door she bends down. She picks something up and the noise stops. She steps back into the house with a puff of grey fur in her arms. He locks the door behind her.

"It's a kitten," she informs him.

"Hey buddy. How did you get out there?"

"We should keep him in here tonight. It's going to get cold. We can look for his owner tomorrow."

"Yeah," he agrees.

"He's so tiny, and cold."

They move into the kitchen. Booth grabs out a saucer and pours some milk onto it. He microwaves it for a few seconds and then places it on the floor. Without a word Temperance places the fragile cat in front of the plate. He laps up all of the milk, and then wanders back to Temperance. He begins mewing. She picks him up and snuggles him. Booth hands her the fleece throw off the couch she wraps it around him. They silently wander upstairs to their room. She digs in the closet for a box. She finds a shoe box and makes a bed for the kitten. She places it on the floor at the bottom of the bed. She lays the sleeping kitten in the nest and grabs some pajamas. She heads into the bathroom. When she gets out she crawls into bed. She sees a tiny bump advancing toward Booth. Suddenly a tiny grey face with big blue eyes, and long whiskers appears. It mews and crawls towards her. It curls up between their pillows. She shifts her glance from the kitten to Booth.

"How did the kitten get into the bed?"

"It jumped."

"It's too high."

"Magic?"

"I don't think so."

"He was lonely, so I put him up here."

"Hopefully we'll find his owner tomorrow."

When she wakes up the following morning there is a tiny kitten purring on her chest.

"Hi little one."

She looks over and sees that Booth is no longer in bed with her. She sits the kitten on the floor and goes to get dressed. She curls her hair, and checks the time. At half past nine Booth comes into the bedroom.

"Where have you been? We're going to be late."

"I went to put up posters."

"About what?"

"The kitten."

"Oh," she nods as she stares at him.

"What?"

"Get dressed," she orders.

"I'm halfway there," he reminds her as he rifles through the closet for a dress shirt. He quickly slips one on and buttons it. He leaves the closet with his jacket in hand. She hands him a tie out of the drawer.

"Will you..."

She rolls her eyes and puts it on him. He slips on his shoes as she finishes. He slips on his jacket, and scoops up the kitten.

"You're going to get cat hair on you," she warns.

"I'm taking him into the bathroom downstairs."

"Why?"

"There is a litter box in there."

"Where did you..."

"I went and got one this morning. I didn't want to clean up any more piles of poop off yesterday's paper."

"Sorry."

"Come on Temperance we've got to go."

"I know."

They make it downstairs and lock the kitten up. She's slipping on her shoes as he grabs the keys. He follows her out, locking the door behind him. He watches her as she walks to the parking lot. By the time she buckles her seat belt they're in motion and he's laughing.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You," he smiles.

"Why?"

"You walk funny."

"Funny how?"

"With the fake belly."

"Sorry, but I haven't quite figured out how to walk normally in heels with..."

"The belly," he finishes for her.

"Uh huh it interferes with my center of gravity," she answers.

"Temperance."

"What?"

"Are we going to talk about this?"

"Not today. Give me some time," she tells him.

"Ok," he nods.

They slip in the back pew of the church at seven after ten.

After church they head home. He lets the cat out of the bathroom as she checks on the roast. He watches her quietly.

"Is it done?"

"Um," she nods.

"What if no one claims this guy?"

"What guy?"

"The kitten."

"It isn't a guy. It's a girl. I checked."

"Ok so what do if no one claims this little girl?"

"I don't know."

"Do we keep her?"

"We have no idea how long we're going to be here."

"What do we do when we go home?"

"Split custody? I don't know I mean custody of a cat must be much more simple than that of a child."

She turns around and stares at him. She walks past him and heads upstairs. After a few seconds he follows. He finds her taking her clothes off.

"What are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same Booth."

"I'm worried about you."

"Boo... Seeley I'm fine," She tells him as she slips on a pair of sweat pants. She grabs a t-shirt out of the drawer. He stops her.

"What are you doing?" she questions as he holds her arm.

"Please don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Shut me out."

She sits down on the edge of the bed and slips the t-shirt over her head.

"I'm not comfortable."

"Being pregnant?"

"I'm not comfortable with any of this."

"What parts exactly?"

"This situation. Pretending to be married, and pregnant and living here with you, and sleeping..."

He cuts her off, "You aren't really pretending to be pregnant, not anymore."

"This, it's all too plausible."

"That's why they sent us. They wanted it to be believable."

"No... this could be... we could be like this."

"I know," he nods.

"I'm scared."

"About what?"

"What if when we get back they sever our partnership? What if..."

"Temperance even if they do, now we're bonded together forever, by this child."

"I don't even know if I want a baby."

"What did you think of the sermon today?"

"I don't know. I guess I agree some what. None of us know when our time here is up, so we should tell..."

He stops her by placing his finger on her lips. "Temperance I love you. Not for pretend either. For real. I love you, Temperance Brennan."

"This it... it happened too fast. I wasn't ready and... now I'm just so confused."

"I know. You can have all of the time that you need to figure all of this out."

She starts undoing his tie. Before she knows it she's wrapped around him. He snakes his arms around her.

"I'm going to change and then I'm going to go eat..."

"Where is the kitten?"

"Downstairs."

"Did you check the answering machine?"

"Not yet."

"I'll do it when I go downstairs."

"Have you talked to Angela lately?"

"Nope. Have you talked to Parker?"

"Yesterday."


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks later no one has claimed the little grey kitten. A new routine has been developed. Temperance wakes up with a kitten on her, and then gets dressed, and feeds her. She then feeds herself, and heads to work. On this particular day she has no work, because it's Saturday. She ventures out of bed and gets dressed. She carries the fluffy kitten downstairs and feeds her. She finds Seeley at the table reading the paper. She grabs a stack of papers off her desk in the office. She plops them on the table and takes a seat across from Seeley. He puts the paper down and stares at her.

"Yes?"

"I've narrowed the list down to three names that I like."

"Why does it matter what we call her? She doesn't care what we call her as long as we feed her."

"I know but she needs a name. Her current name on record at the vet is No-name Brennan-Booth."

"Ok what are your names?"

"Gracie, Sophie, and Violet."

"Nope," she shakes her head as she grabs a paper out of the pile.

"What are you doing?"

"Finishing these tests."

"How many more do you have?"

"Five, nope that one is done, so four," she sets one of the tests on the larger stack.

"How long will it take?"

"Not long why?"

"I just thought that we could do something else with our Saturday."

Temperance studies the test in front of her, "What about Ella?" she questions as she corrects the test.

"For what?"

"The cat," she answers.

"Oh, yeah," he nods in agreement.

She finishes grading, as he continues to read the news paper. She stares at him. He feels her eyes burning through him. He sits down the paper and looks at her.

"Yes?"

She crinkles her face in deep thought.

"Temperance are you having a stroke or something."

She shakes her head.

"So then what's with the face?"

"Are we going to get married?"

"We are married."

"For real."

"What do you mean for real?"

"In real life," she answers.

"Why?"

"I was just wondering."

"Why are you wondering?"

"We could you know."

"We could what?"

"Get married."

"Do you want to get married?"

"I don't know, I might."

"You might?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Since when?"

"I don't know. I'm still not sure that I do..."

"But?"

"But it might not be so bad."

"And?"

"And I might be ok with it."

"Do you want to get married to me?"

"We are having a baby."

"I thought that you hadn't decided if you wanted to have a baby."

"I have decided that it would be a mistake not to have this baby."

"How so?"

"It would ruin our relationship. We wouldn't talk about it, and then we'd stop talking altogether, until one day we had nothing in common. It would split up our partnership, and it would ruin our friendship. You wouldn't agree with my decision, and to be honest I'm not sure that I would either."

"What do you mean?"

"A life is still a life. And I'm not sure that I could handle doing that. I used to think that I could, but I don't think that I can. And I don't want to be responsible for driving you away. I don't want to lose you."

"Temperance it's your decision to make no matter what I think."

"I know, but I want this baby."

"Are you sure?"

"We're having a baby," she answers him.

"Yes we are," he nods with a huge grin on his face.

"And children need a stable environment."

"Yes, but parents, they, don't have to be married."

"But it is better if they are."

"If you do decide to get married it needs to be for the right reasons."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't do it just because you're having a baby. You shouldn't do it just because you think that it would be easier, or that you should do it. You should do it because you want to. Your reason should not be a child. You should subtract that from the situation. Marriage shouldn't be taken lightly. It should be forever. You're going to be married long after your child is grown. You need to know that you would marry the person that you intend to marry even if there was no baby."

"I wouldn't... I would just do what I always do if there was no baby."

"Meaning what?"

"I would end the relationship."

"Not all relationships are temporary. Not all relationships have an end."

"What are you saying?"

"If there was no baby. If you weren't pregnant would you want to get married? Would you want to marry me? Would you want to be with me for eternity."

"There is no eternity."

"Of course there is Temperance."

"How can you know that?"

"I can't, I just have faith that there is."

"And if there isn't?"

"I've lost nothing."

"And if there is?"

"Then I've lost you."

"How?"

"If you're not saved, you don't get eternity. I'd hate to spend eternity without you."

"I..."

"I'd rather believe in God and find out that he isn't real, than not believe in him and find out that he is."

"You make an interesting point."

"Does it change your mind?"

"About what?"

"God?"

"I don't know."

"Meaning?"

"There's obviously something greater at work. Not everything can be a total coincidence."

"I'll take it."

"I'm not..."

"It's a step in the right direction," he stops her before she can ruin it.


	8. Chapter 8

She changes the subject from religion, "What are we going to do today?"

"Whatever you'd like."

She changes the subject again. She stares deep into his big brown eyes, "You aren't alone."

"Excuse me?"

"Your feeling that you told me about, you should know that they are reciprocated."

"What are you talking about?"

"I feel the same about you."

"As what?"

"I love you."

"What?"

"You knew that right?"

"No I didn't know. I hoped but I didn't know, you've never said that to me."

"I do. I love you. I don't quite understand either. I mean we're complete opposites, but I... never mind it's silly."

"No, I want to hear it."

"I can't..."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to cry."

"Temp..." he's interrupted by the telephone.

She hastily answers.

"Hello? Uh huh. When? Oh. Yes we'll be there. Can you give me directions? Uh yeah I've got a pen and paper right here. Yes, uh huh. Right. Ok. Thank you. Bye." she hangs up.

"Who was it?"

"Jeff," she answers.

"Who?"

"The Chief of Police."

"Right," he nods.

"They found a body. They think that it is Nora Jenkins."

"Who is that?"

She tosses him the keys as she slips on her jacket. "I'll tell you in the car."

They stop at the entrance of the parking lot.

"Where are we going?"

"Oh, right."

"We're going right?"

"No," she shakes her head and hands him a note with directions on it. He studies it and hands it back to her.

"So Nora?"

"She was seven and a half months pregnant when she went missing."

"How long ago?"

"Almost three months ago?" she answers.

"Any signs of the infant?"

"I don't know, he didn't say."

"Ok."

Thirty five minutes later they arrive at the crime scene. An officer leads them into the woods about two thirds of a mile. Temperance squats next to the body.

"A hunter found the body."

"Is there anything nearby?"

"About a mile the other way there are some cabins. Some are hunting cabins, some retirees live there, and others are doctors, and lawyers, and such looking for a weekend getaway."

"I'm going to need a list of names."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Yes anyone with medical experience. Doctors, veterinarians, nurses, midwives, emt's."

"Ok. Do you need anything else Dr?"

"No thank you Steve, that will be all for now."

"Wow!" Seeley remarks as Steve walks away.

"What?"

"You know two people's names."

"Shut up!"

"So what is your assessment?"

"Female, late twenties to mid thirties."

"There are some marks on the bone that might be consistent with someone performing a cesarean."

"So we take it back to the lab?"

"The morgue. We have a morgue here," she reminds him.

"Right."

She attempts to get up, but is unsuccessful. "Seeley?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me?"

"What do you need help with?"

"I need help getting up."

"Right," he extends hands to her.

They manage to get her to her feet.

"How far along are you?" A redheaded male officer asks.

"Seven months," she answers.

"Boy or girl?"

"We don't know, but he's convinced that it's a girl."

"Do you have any names picked out?"

"None are concrete yet."

"My wife and I we've got twin boys, Luke, and Logan."

"How old?" Seeley asks.

"Three, and we've got another one on the way. The baby is due in three weeks."

"Boy or girl?" Seeley asks.

"Girl. We're going to name her Lola."

"Boys they're great, but girls, they're just as good."

"Do you two have any other kids?"

"I don't," Temperance shakes her head, "He's got a son."

"Parker, he's almost seven."

"Does he live around here?"

"No he's back in D.C."

"That must be rough."

"Yeah I missed Christmas with him this year, but I think that we'll have something worked out next year."

"Best of luck."

"Thanks."

After examining the body Temperance sends pictures, and x-rays off to the Jeffersonian. They run through the drive-thru of a fast food joint, and head home. Near bedtime Temperance is brushing her teeth when her laptop dings from the bedroom. She hears a click followed by Booth's voice.

"Hey Ange. What do you have for us?"

"I've got a face. I ran it through missing persons and got a hit."

"To Nora Jenkins?"

"Yes," she answers.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. How many victims is this now?"

"Five I think. It's five right Temperance?"

Temperance walks into the room. She sits down on the bed next to Seeley. "Five what?" she asks him.

"Victims that we know about."

"Yes," she answers.


	9. Chapter 9

Angela continues the conversation,"So how are things going there?"

"With the investigation?" Temperance questions.

"No with life."

"Fine Angela why?" Temperance raises an eyebrow.

"No reason," she smiles.

"What?" Temperance asks.

"I just forgot that you're pregnant."

"Don't get used to it."

"So have you two picked out a name?"

"No," she answers quickly.

"Started a nursery?"

"No," Temperance answers.

"Ange she won't do anything."

"Have you guys started lamaze?"

"What is the point?" Temperance asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not having a baby in three months," she reminds them.

"But..."

"But what?"

"Booth can you give us a minute please?" Angela asks.

"Of course," he answers as he gets up to leave the room.

"So sweetie is he gone?"

"Yeah why?"

"Tell me everything. I haven't talked to you in two months."

"Sorry, we've been busy."

"So do you guys sleep in the same room?"

"We have to convince everyone we're married."

"Same bed?"

"Yes."

"Sex?"

"Of the baby?"

"No sweetie have you had sex with him?"

"Who?" she plays dumb.

"Booth."

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because you've been in Arizona with him for two months. Alone with him, in the same house, sharing a bed, for two months.

"We don't live in a house, it's a condo."

"Same thing."

"Can you hold on a second?"

"Sure."

Temperance bends down and picks Ella up off the floor. She sits her in her lap.

"Ok I'm back."

"What's the furry thing in your lap?"

"Ella."

"Who?"

"The kitten."

"When did you get a kitten?"

"A few weeks ago she just showed up."

"And you kept her?"

"We put up fliers. No one claimed her."

"So you're keeping her?"

"Uh huh," she nods.

"What about when you come home?"

"We'll split custody I guess."

"What happens when your due date comes and you don't have a baby?"

"I don't think we'll be here that long."

"Have you gotten any leads?"

"Not really."

"Do the victims have anything in common?"

"They all went to church."

"The same church?"

"No three different churches."

"So..."

"The latest victim went to our church."

"_Your_ church? You've been going to church?"

"Yes, it's rather intriguing."

"Hmm, interesting."

"Interesting how?"

"I need to talk to Sweets."

"About what?"

"You two."

"What about us?"

"Nothing, just that you're acting like an old married couple. Do you read the paper in bed before church, and cook him breakfast?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"Really?"

"We read the paper every day, and he normally cooks me breakfast."

"Right," she nods skeptically.

"Besides the point is to convince everyone else that we are actually married."

"I know."

"Ange I've got to go."

"Why?"

"I've just got to go," she quickly disconnects, and closes her laptop. She moves the kitten aside and sprints into the bathroom. Booth returns to the bedroom as she is brushing her teeth.

"You ok?" he asks.

"No. I feel like crap," she admits.

"I told you not to eat all of those fries."

"I don't understand I've been perfectly fine..."

"Temperance you're pregnant."

"But I haven't been sick."

"Maybe the baby just doesn't like fries."

"I doubt that," she disagrees.

"What time is it?"

"Nine thirty why?"

"I rented a movie."

"I'm tired, I just want to go to sleep."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she nods as she climbs into bed. She unbuttons her flannel pajama top and takes off her fake stomach. She tosses it on the chair in the corner of the room.

"So how are you feeling?"

"I'm tired."

"Why don't we stay in tomorrow?"

"And do what?"

"Nothing."

"We don't do anything to begin with."

"We need a day off."

"We've got to catch whoever is doing this. How many more women are going to get killed before we catch this guy?"

"I don't know. My question is what happens to all of these babies?"

"I have no clue, and that's the scary thing."

"This is all scary. What kind of sick bastard kidnaps pregnant women?"

"I don't know. Does he keep the babies? Does he torture them? What does he do with them?"

"Do you still think that it's a woman?"

"It just doesn't seem like something that man would do."

"I agree."

"So what do we do?"

"We know that all of the victims went to church right?"

"Yes. What else do we know?"

"It was the first child."

"All of them were married?"

"Uh huh."

"They're all close to the same age?"

"Yes."

"There just don't seem to be any other links."

"So he's finding them in church?"

"Maybe," he shrugs.

"Do they have the same doctor?"

"No, three different doctors. Two different midwives."

"How many doctors can this tiny town have?"

"At least a dozen. I mean there is a major hospital thirty minutes from here."

"How do we catch this guy?"

"I don't know."

"I guess we dangle the bait in front of him, and wait."

"What bait?"

"Me."

"Temperance I don't think that this is a good idea maybe we should..."

"We're going to do this."

"Even with the crazy serial killer I kind of like it here."

"Why is that?"

"It's quiet, things they're a calmer pace. There's less stress, our jobs their less stressful."

"Our fake jobs, or the actual ones?"

"The fake ones," he smiles.

"Right," she turns off the lamp.

He follows suit. They sink into the covers. They're a comfortable distance apart. "Goodnight Temperance."

"Night Seeley."

"It's weird for you to call me that."

"It's weird for you to call me Temperance."


	10. Chapter 10

February 27th 2009: Temperance is just finishing grading papers when Seeley comes in. It's nearly six when he comes in the door.

"Where are you?" he questions as he closes the door behind him.

"In the office," she answers.

She comes out of the office into the hallway. He joins her there.

"Have a good day?" he questions.

"It would have been better if my students had actually paid attention during class."

"They're teenagers what do you expect?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

He gently kisses her on the forehead.

"I got you something," he tells her as he holds out a green paper bag with handles.

"What's that?"

"Open it and see."

"Let's go to the living room. I can't see in the hallway."

They wonder to the living room and sit down on the couch. She opens the bag and pulls out a book.

"Names?"

"We have to pick out a name."

"For the real baby, or the fake one?"

"Both," he answers.

"Thank you," she smiles.

"We need to start on a nursery."

"Why?"

"Because you're eight months pregnant with the fake baby, and we need to keep up appearances."

"Great," she rolls her eyes.

"So boy or girl?"

"I don't care."

"We can go with neutral colors if you want."

"No we can pretend to have a girl if you want."

"I don't care I just..."

"We can do it on Sunday."

"Why Sunday? Do we have something planned for tomorrow?"

"We're going out of town."

"What for?"

"To go to the doctor."

"Why?"

"We are having a real baby remember?"

"Yes, but why are we going out of town?"

"That's where the doctor contracted by the FBI is."

"So?"

"So he's not a civilian. He's bound by doctor patient confidentiality."

"Aren't all doctors?"

"Yes, but we need to go out of town to find a doctor with no connections to this town."

"Right," he nods.

"How far away?"

"Three hours."

"What time am I going to have to get up for this?"

"That depends on how long it will take you to get ready."

"When do we have to be there?"

"We have to be there at noon."

"So we should get on the road around eight in case we get lost."

"That's what I was thinking."

"We can study our name book on the way there."

"Joy," she feigns excitement.

"Do you like that name?"

"No."

"Where is Ella?"

"She's asleep."

"Where?"

"In her bed."

"Our bed?"

"No. I bought her a bed."

"Where is it?"

"In the other room."

"What other room?"

"The one that is supposed to be for the fake baby."

"Oh," he nods.

By the time they reach the city in which the doctor is located they've made it halfway through A. Mostly because Temperance fell asleep ten minutes after pulling out of the parking lot at their condo.

"A..."

She cuts him off, "If you say one more name I will super-glue your hand to your mouth in your sleep," she threatens.

"Ok," he agrees.

"I think that's it," she points to her right.

"I think so too."

They park and wander into the doctor's office. After fifteen minutes in the waiting room they're called back. Five minutes after that the doctor walks into the room.

"Dr. Brennan nice to see you."

"Nice to meet you Dr. Hayden."

"I understand that you are undercover correct?"

"Yes."

"How far along are you?"

"Three months."

He looks at her with an expression of sheer puzzlement.

"You look..."

"Hold that thought," she tells him. She turns until her back is facing Seeley.

"Do you want me to..."

She cuts Seeley off by answering, "Uh huh."

He lifts her shirt and unfastens the fake stomach. She pulls it off, and takes off her shirt. Underneath she is wearing a black camisole.

"You're not pregnant?"

"I am, just not eight months."

"I'm not quite sure that I understand."

"We're pretending to be married. I'm supposed to be pretending to be eight months pregnant."

"Right," he nods.

"The only problem is that I am actually pregnant. In real life I mean..."

"Oh," he stares at her.

"I..."

"I think that I understand."

"Good," she smiles in relief.

"So in reality you're three months pregnant?"

"Yes, twelve weeks," she admits.

"Ok then, let's take a look at your baby," he smiles.

She rolls up her shirt. He squirts gel on her stomach and moves a probe around. She reaches for Seeley's hand. She squeezes it as the doctor searches for the baby. Finally a noise fills the room, and he turns the screen towards them.

"That's your baby," he tells them.

She stares at the screen silently.

"Is everything normal?" Seeley questions.

"Yes things seem to be right on track."

"Would you like to know what you're having?"

Seeley answers, "I think that she'd like to wait."

She suddenly snaps back into reality. Her eyes move from the screen to the doctor's face. "No," she corrects, "I want to know."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Congratulations you're having a girl," he tells them.

He hands her a tissue. "I'm going to get a print out. I'll send the nurse in with it, and a couple of other things, and you folks can be on your way," he tells them.

"Thank you," she says softly.

By the time the nurse comes in Temperance has her fake stomach back on. The nurse hands her a plastic bag with the name of some sort of medication on it. She takes it and they head for the parking lot. They're half an hour from home, their temporary home, when he finally breaks the silence.

"You ok?"

"Uh huh," she answers.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Temperance talk to me."

"We're having a baby, a little girl."

"Uh huh."

"Maybe we should start a nursery, I mean it would be a good practice."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," her eyes finally meet his.

"Do you want to do it today?"

"We might as well."

"They narrowed down our suspect pool."

"To how many?"

"About a dozen. Doctors, vets, nurses, and other medical personnel."

"How many women?"

"Seven."

"Alibis?"

"We've only been able to contact three of them."

"The other four?"

"We're working on it."

"How many of them have children?"

"None of them."

"How old are they?"

"One is thirty three, one forty four, one forty seven, and the other fifty eight."

"Interesting."

"Any thoughts?"

"Yes I'm hungry."

"I meant about the case."

"Hunger takes precedence today. We haven't eaten since ten o'clock."

"I forgot about your condition."

"Being pregnant?"

"Being a woman, and having to eat every ten minutes."

"It's almost four o'clock."

"I know," he rolls his eyes at her.


	11. Chapter 11

"I think that it's too much," she tells him as she studies the four walls that contain her partner and herself.

"Too much what?"

"Pink."

"Temperance we've been working on this nursery for a month. If you didn't like all of the pink you should have said something much earlier."

"I know," she sighs.

"How are you feeling?"

"Quite uncomfortable."

"This will all be over soon."

"When? We haven't caught this guy."

"I know," he admits.

"And I'm supposed to be nine months pregnant. We have a month to catch this guy."

"I know."

"And then after the fake baby is born I'll still be pregnant."

"I know."

As her irritation level continues to rise her cell phone rings.

"Hello?" she answers.

"Dr. Brennan it's Jeff," he says from the other end. She finds it funny how people still her Dr. Brennan even though she was supposed to be married, and her name was supposed to be hyphenated.

"What's up?"

"We found one of them."

"One of who?"

"One of the babies."

"I'll be there..."

"You don't need to come. I was actually hoping to talk to your husband, but he didn't answer his cell phone."

"It's dead," she reveals.

"Is he there?"

"Yeah what's going on?"

"May I speak to him?"

"Yeah," she holds her hand over the mouthpiece as she hands the phone to Seeley.

"Who is it?" he asks her.

"Jeff," she answers.

He lifts the phone to his ear. "Hey Jeff what's going on?"

"We found one of the infants."

"Are you sure?"

"Not entirely, but we're pretty certain."

"Where?"

"At the fire station. Someone dropped it off in the middle of the night."

"Why would they drop a body off at a fire station?"

"It's not a body."

"What do you mean it's not a body?"

"It's an infant. We think that he belongs to the latest victim."

"How old?"

"About ten weeks."

"Is he ok?"

"He's underweight. The pediatrician here thinks that he has a heart condition."

"Why?"

"He's blue."

"What do you mean?"

"When they found him his face, hands, and feet were blue."

"It was cold last night."

"He was wrapped in a blanket, and had on warm clothes. The last truck came in at one, and this morning the first one went out at four."

"So he wasn't out there very long?"

"No. We sent all of the clothing, and the blankets to your forensics team. We're hoping to find a hair, or some DNA of some sort."

"Did they do a buccal swab on the baby?"

"Yes they sent it to a lab along with a sample of Rodney Jenkins DNA along with it."

"What do you need from us?"

"We need a sample of Nora's DNA."

"I'll have Temperance get it to you."

"You can just have her send it to our lab."

"Ok. How long will the DNA take?"

"Our lab is pretty backed up, but we put a rush on it. It will probably take three to seven days."

"What do they do with the infant in the mean time?"

"He went in for heart surgery this morning."

"How long will they keep him?"

"At least a week. They need to keep a close eye on him. The want to make sure that he doesn't get an infection."

"Ok. Why don't I stop by the station and you can brief me?"

"Ok."

"I'll talk to you later Jeff."

"Bye," he hangs up.

Seeley hands the phone back to Temperance.

"What's going on?"

"They think that they found Nora Jenkins son."

"Dead?"

"No, alive, but he had to have heart surgery."

"What do they need from us?"

"I'm going to go help Jeff out, he needs a sample of Nora's DNA from you."

"Ok. What about the baby who's with him?"

"I don't know."

"I'll get the sample together and..."

"He wants you to send it to their lab."

"Ok. Then I'll got to the hospital and check on the little guy."

"Ok."

"Then I'm going to go to the grocery store."

"So I'll probably be done by the time you get back."

"Yeah."

"What time do you think that you'll get home?"

"No later than five."

"Ok. I'll see you then," he gives her a kiss on the cheek and turns to walk away.

"Wait," she tells him.

"What?"

She plants a kiss on his lips.

"What was that for?" he asks her.

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"See you this evening."

"Will you feed me?"

"Of course," he smiles.

They head out in separate vehicles.

Temperance sends the sample to the lab. She then heads to the hospital to visit the baby. She finds her way to the N.I.C.U. and is stopped by a nurse.

"Can I help you?"

"I was just here to check on the baby they brought in this morning."

"Who are you?"

"Temperance Brennan-Booth."

"Seeley Booth's wife?"

"Yes."

"Can I see identification?"

She digs her drivers license out and shows it to her.

"Thank you. You need to wash your hands, and then you can go see him."

Temperance does so. She dries her hands and the nurse leads her to an incubator.

"How is he?"

"He's a tough little guy."

Temperance stares at the dark haired infant in the incubator.

"How did the surgery go?"

"Good. We had to repair a muscle at the bottom of the heart."

"So will he be ok?"

"The next couple of days are critical, but he'll probably be ok."

"He's smaller than I'd expect."

"The heart condition most likely affected his appetite. He was probably too weak to eat."

"I see."

"So when is your little one due?"

"Four weeks."

"Girl or boy?"

"Girl."

"Do you have a name picked out?"

"Not yet."

"Is your husband excited?"

"Yeah."

"How long have you two been together?"

"It's been so long I can't even really remember," she stretches the truth.

"So what brought you out here?"

"We needed a calmer pace."

"How does he like being a body guard?"

"I don't really know. I think that he misses the excitement of the police work."

"And you?"

"I was surprised, but I'm really enjoying teaching."

"So are you writing anything right now?"

"I start, but it just never seems to be right."

"You've got plenty of time."

"Yeah," she nods.


	12. Chapter 12

She's loading her car full of groceries. Finally she finishes and slams the trunk. She pushes the cart to it's resting place and heads back to her car. As she stands in front of her door she gets the sensation that someone is looking at her. She turns around and finds a tall muscular woman looking at her.

"Excuse me miss I think that you dropped something."

Temperance rolls her eyes and groans inwardly. She carefully lowers herself into a squatting position and looks around the car. Suddenly she feels something hard against the back of her head.

"Get up get in my car and don't make a noise, and you won't get hurt."

Temperance gets up and turns the other direction. She reaches the vehicle and climbs in. As the woman climbs into the driver's seat Temperance buckles and tries to pull her phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I..."

The woman hits her on the zygomatic with the butt of her pistol. Temperance hears her phone crunch under the tires. Suddenly every thing is fuzzy, and her head is throbbing. She holds her head in her hands. As they pull out of the parking lot Temperance sits up and watches the road. She carefully studies every turn, every stop, and the speed. Nearly an hour and a half later they arrive at a cabin miles from the nearest hint of civilization. They stop.

"Get out!" the woman demands.

Temperance complies. The woman walks behind her. They enter the cabin. Temperance studies it carefully.

"Sit!" the woman tells her when she reaches the kitchen table.

Temperance listens carefully.

A man asks from the next room, "Did you get the milk?"

"No."

"Watch the boys, and I'll go get it."

Temperance makes a mental note. The man walks past her and gets into a green truck. The woman returns to the kitchen with a pair of shiny silver handcuffs. She grabs Temperance's hand from the surface of the table. She cuffs it, and allows it to drop. She attaches the other part to the rung of the chair. She calmly sits down next to her.

"When are you due?"

"April 22nd."

"Boy or girl?"

"Girl."

"Good. Are you hungry?"

She shakes her head.

"Thirsty?"

She shakes her head again.

"If you need anything just let me know," the woman tells her as she wonders into the other room.

Temperance listens carefully. She hears the T.V. She deduces that it's a cartoon of some sort. She hears a child laughing. She listens to the woman.

"Alex be careful with those blocks they're going to fall over."

Temperance hears something hard hit something else.

"Benjamin, don't throw blocks," the woman warns.

Temperance makes more mental notes.

"Boy's it's time for your nap."

The woman walks through the kitchen with a blonde boy on her hip, and a boy with dark hair at her side. She walks them into a room. After a few minutes she comes out, and returns to the other room.

Temperance sees the shiny car-keys sitting on the counter. She begins to formulate a plan. She tries to get out of the handcuffs. She realizes that there is a bobby pin in her pocket that she had picked up off the floor of her car earlier. She pulls it out. She uses her left arm to pick at the lock. Finally her hand comes free. Calculating that it has been nearly fifteen minutes since the man left she quickly swipes the car keys off the counter. She rolls up her pant leg and unstraps the velcro strap around it. She hears footsteps from what she assumes to be the living room. She quickly reseats herself. The woman stops in front of her.

"Were you just over at the counter?" she questions.

Temperance says nothing. She cocks the gun, and holds it under the table aiming it carefully.

"Where is you hand?" she questions noticing that it is no longer attached to the chair.

"Get up," the woman orders.

Temperance doesn't flinch. "I said get up," she places one hand around Temperance's windpipe. Temperance struggles for air as the woman brings her to her feet. She doesn't hesitate. She shoots her in the chest, on the right side. The woman falls to the ground and gasps for air. Temperance puts the gun in the pocket of her jacket. She wonders to the room where the two boys are. She carefully grabs one out the crib. The other wakes up and looks at her.

"I need you to come with me."

"Why?" he questions innocently.

"We're going to go get some ice cream," she lies.

The boy stands up in his bed. She struggles to carry them both to the car. She secures them in carseats hastily, and rushes to the driver's seat. The car turns over, and she backs out of the drive. She lays the gun in the passenger's side seat. She flies down the hill. Half an hour later she passes a green truck going the other way. She guns it, and flies past him, hoping that he hadn't seen her. Fifteen minutes later she reaches the police department. She doesn't see Seeley's car in the parking lot. Jeff spots her from his squad car, and wonders up to her. He knocks on her window.

"What are you doing? Whose car is this?" he asks.

"I..."

"What happened to your cheek?"

She takes a deep breath and begins to answer.

"Booth just called and said that you didn't make it home. Where have you been?"

"I was at the grocery store and..."

"Temperance!" Seeley's voice captures her attention.

He runs to the car.

"Where have you been?"

"I found them..."

"Who?"

"I was in the parking lot at the grocery store, and..."

"Your car is still there what happened?"

"The woman she..."

"You found her?"

"Yes, and..."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"What did you find? Where did she take you?"

"There were two boys and..."

"How did you get back here?"

"I took her car. I shot her..."

"So..."

"But her husband, or whoever he was on the way back I passed him. He'll..."

"What about the boys?"

"They're in the backseat," she answers.

"Jeff call everyone. Temperance take those kids into Chip he'll watch them. I need you to show me."

"Ok." she agrees.

The rest of that night was a total blur. Everything happened so fast that Temperance's head begins to spin.


	13. Chapter 13

Sunday March 29th 2009: Temperance wakes up to rain dancing on the window. A tiny poof of fur is curled up on her chin. She carefully lifts if off of her and looks around. She sees Seeley in the closet.

"Where are you going?" she asks him.

"We're going to go interrogate Coby Graham."

"Who?"

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

"I'm not sure. It's all such a blur."

"You were kidnaped."

"I remember that much."

"You shot the woman and escaped."

"I remember that."

"You found us and took us to where you were taken."

"Uh huh."

"And I made you stay in the car."

"Sounds about right."

"And then you fell asleep. After we got everything taken care of I brought you home and put you to bed."

"The woman who was she?"

"Alice Kipling."

"How did she..."

"We don't know yet."

"The boys."

"The oldest one is around two we believe that he belongs to the first victim. The other one is about a year old, so we aren't entirely sure who he belongs to."

"How did she keep them without raising suspicion?"

"She had been a foster parent, so no one thought anything about it."

"I'm coming with you," she tells him as she begins getting dressed.

"Temperance..."

"Huh?"

"You don't have to wear that anymore. Everyone knows why we're here."

"Right," she nods and slips the fake stomach off. She puts on a camisole. She stops when Seeley's hand touches her stomach. She stands in the closet quietly. He takes his hands off her and she continues to get dressed. She slips on a loose zip up hoodie.

"I don't want anyone to..."

"We won't tell."

"I don't want to go home," she tells him.

"What?"

"Nothing, we'll talk about it later."

"Let's go."

Seeley makes breakfast. Temperance feeds the cat. The quickly eat, and head out. Jeff is waiting on them when they arrive. He leads them into the interrogation room. Temperance sits down next to Seeley. Seeley says nothing. Temperance begins.

"How did you two do it?"

"It was all her idea."

"Why?"

"We've been together for fifteen years. About five years ago we decided that we wanted to start family, but we couldn't. So we became foster parents."

"Why did you suddenly start kidnaping pregnant women and killing them for their babies?"

"We always had to give the babies back. She was so unhappy."

"So then what Coby?" Booth chimes in.

"One day she was in town shopping, and she saw a pregnant woman with her husband. When she came home she was crying. I asked her about it and she told me that she didn't understand why they got to have a baby and we didn't. So then she started following the woman. She followed her to church. One day she went alone, I guess the husband was sick or something. So Alice she decided to kidnap her."

"How did she do it?"

"She's got a gun, she knows how to use it."

"So what happened after she brought the woman home?"

"We put her in the basement. We have a bedroom and bathroom down there. Soon she went into labor, and Alexander, Alex was born."

"Do you know her name?"

"Sarah, her name was Sarah."

"What happened? Why did you kill her?"

"We didn't kill her. Alex was over nine pounds. We didn't know he was going to be that big. After he was born she wouldn't stop bleeding. I told Alice to take the baby, and make sure that he was ok, and I'd stay with Sarah."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a contractor."

"And Alice?"

"She was a nurse."

"We found the remains of five women what happened to the others?" Temperance asks.

"They..."

Temperance cuts him off, "What about the other babies?"

"Alice found the second woman in the same church. She didn't follow her, she just was friendly to her. One day she bumped into her at a gas station. She hadn't planned on taking her baby, but when she saw her at the check out line she was talking to the cashier. She was talking about how she was having a little girl. When they got to the parking lot Alice took her. She wanted a little girl so bad."

"What happened?"

"When she finally went into labor it took too long. We knew that something was wrong. I was raised on a farm so I knew that something wasn't right. Alice she took the scalpel, she didn't want to hurt the baby, and she cut her open."

"The baby what did you do to the baby?" Seeley asks.

"Nothing. She was still born. Alice she lost it. She didn't want the woman, Anna, to get away, and tell someone. So she gave her a shot of something, I don't know what, and she took her way out into the woods, and left her."

"What about the third victim?" Seeley questions.

"Different church, I don't know where she took her from."

"The baby?" Temperance questions.

"She tried to get away. They struggled with the gun, and it went off."

"There weren't any victims found with gun shot wounds," Temperance points out.

"We buried her on the edge of our property, it's fifty acres, no one comes up there."

"There are three more," Seeley adds.

"Benjamin's mother was the next. She fought hard to get away. After Benjamin was born she passed out. When she woke up she went into hysterics, so Alice smothered her."

"I have a stupid question, why didn't you do anything?" Booth questions.

"I didn't want to be found in the woods years later."

"So you were afraid of her?" Temperance clarifies.

"Yes."

"And the next victim? Her name was Lily Carter. What about her?" Booth slide the picture across the table.

"No, I've never seen her."

"What do you mean you've never seen her? Did you go out of town or..." Booth asks.

"No. I would have known, she wasn't one of them. You can check Alice kept a diary. They're under the floorboards in the boys bedroom."

"What about Nora Jenkins?" Booth probes as he slides another picture across the table.

"Carson's mother," he answers.

"Carson?"

"He was sick. We couldn't help him. We dropped him off at the fire station," Coby reveals.

"What happened to his mother?" Temperance asks.

"I told Alice to just let her go, that she was too weak to make it to any road, but Alice she didn't want to take the chance. So she gave her a whole vial of insulin so that there wouldn't be any apparent cause of death."

"What about her? Why did she take her?" Booth asks as he points to Temperance.

"She saw you at church. Then she saw you shopping for your nursery, for a little girl. She wanted a little girl so bad."

"We're going to check out your story, but you're an accessory to murder and kidnaping so I don't foresee you getting out of jail anytime in the near future," Booth tells him.

"You weren't pregnant?" Coby asks her as she and Booth move towards the door.

"No. They asked us to go undercover to find you."

"Oh."

"What about the babies? What did you do with them?"

"They're in the backyard. Behind the old barn. There are bricks on top of where they are."

They leave the interrogation room. Temperance looks at Seeley.

"What?"

"What happened to Lily Carter?"

"Bones he's probably lying."

"Why? Why would he lie about one woman?"

"I don't know."

"We assumed that she was killed by the same person, but what if someone else did it?"

"Like who?"

"Her husband," she suggests.

After talking to some of the officers at the department Seeley and Temperance conclude that Lily Carter's husband should be a suspect. They manage to get a warrant, and head to his house. When they arrive no one is home.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Seeley asks her.

"Anything that might indicate foul play, or..."

"Why don't we start in the back yard? I think that there is a tool shed back there."

"Ok," she agrees.

They wander into the back yard. Temperance enters the tool shed. She begins looking around. Booth stays in the yard."Temperance."

"Yeah?"

"Come out here," he tells her. She does so. He stares at a bush against the side of the house.

"What?"

"There is no other landscaping in this yard, except for these two bushes."

"So?"

"The leaves are waxy."

"Are you sure?"

"Look for yourself."

She studies the leaves, "They aren't supposed to be waxy."

"Are you sure?"

"The bushes, they're the same type. One has waxy leaves, and the other doesn't."

"You want to grab me a shovel?"

"Yeah."

She grabs a shovel out of the tool shed. Jeff comes around and joins them.

"What are you two doing?" he questions.

"Digging up this bush."

"Why?"

"The leaves are waxy," Temperance tells him.

"What does that mean?"

Temperance allows Seeley to explain, "The leaves aren't supposed to be waxy. When a body is buried it releases methane gas, that would make the leaves waxy."

"Oh," he nods.

He grabs a shovel and joins in the digging. Soon they are able to remove the bush. They toss the bush aside. Booth carefully scrapes the ground.

"Stop," Temperance tells him.

"What?"

"You're scraping something," she tells him.

"So..."

She bends down and opens her bag. She pulls out a paint brush. She begins to brush away dirt. Jeff takes pictures as she brushes dirt aside. A few minutes later they find a small skull. Temperance continues to brush the dirt away. Soon they find another small skull. She stops.

"Call the forensics team," she tells them.

Jeff nods and steps away. Seeley offers a hand. She takes it.

"You ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He just looks at her as he pulls her off the ground.

"I'm fine."

"So twins?"

"Yeah," she nods.

He shakes his head.

"Why don't we head home?"

She nods in agreement.


	14. Chapter 14

As he cooks dinner she sits at the table and watches him.

"It's been a long day," he comments as he stirs something.

"Uh huh."

"You ok?"

"I think so..."

"You think so?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"When we wrap this case up they're going to send us home."

"I think that I want to stay here," she tells him.

"Why?"

"I... I can't do this everyday."

"Do what?"

"Chase murderers. I need a break. I don't think I can handle all of the chaos. Being pregnant is enough of an emotional roller coaster."

"I understand."

"I think that I'm going to take a leave of absence. I mean Clark is already there and..."

"For how long?"

"A year."

"Are you going to stay here the whole time?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"They want me to come back and teach for another year."

"Do you want to do that?"

"I'd like to finish out the school year, and come up with a curriculum. Then of course I'd find a replacement."

"By then you'll be too far along to fly, and the drive is..."

"I don't want to drive it."

"So what?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

There is a silence that fills the room. It is ended by the sound of plates being placed on the table. He sits down across the table from her. She picks at her food. He reaches across the table and takes her hand.

"What are we doing?"

"Having a baby," she sighs.

"Are you ok with that?"

She nods.

"Temperance tell me what you're thinking."

"I want to stay here until the baby is born. It will give me time to work on my book. I doubt that I'll have time for another book after the baby is born."

"What about the Jeffersonian?"

"I'm going to go back," she assures him.

"What are we going to do? You and I?"

"We've already lived together for months, and we're having a baby..."

"So what do we do?"

"I'll get rid of the apartment... a baby needs a house with a yard and..."

"Do we tell them?"

"I want to wait."

"So I go back to D.C. and you stay here?"

"You have to go home. Parker hasn't seen you in months, and the FBI needs you."

"But you are coming home?"

"Yes," she nods.

"And..."

"I stay here until the baby is born."

"I don't want to miss that."

"You can come back."

"And what happens after she's here?"

"We go back to D.C. We pack up all of my stuff, and we get rid of the apartment."

"Do I look for a house while you're here?"

"Yes," she nods.

"And when we get back?"

"We move in together."

"So then what are we?"

"Parents..."

"To each other. I meant to each other Temperance."

"We could get married before you leave."

"Is that what you want?"

"All of this has really made me think. I can work anywhere, I can live anywhere, but not without you. I don't want to go back and have things the same as they were. I don't want to pretend that I don't have feelings for you. Because I do. When I wake up and you've already gone to work I miss you, and I know that it's totally irrational, but it's true. I don't know what I'm supposed to do without you. I had a dream a few weeks ago about us. We were sitting on the porch in a porch swing. We were old and everything was quiet, and we were just sitting there holding hands."

"It sounds nice."

"I want that."

"Are you sure? You're sure that you don't want to get married just because we're having a baby?"

"I'll admit that initially, that's what got me asking myself if I wanted to get married. But this... it feels right. I don't know how to go home and not have you there."

"We're going to be done here soon. What do I tell everyone?"

"That I'm taking a year off to focus on finishing my book."

"But they'll all know that it won't take you that long."

"And that I'm taking some time to re-evaluate my long term goals."

"Personally?"

"Professionally," she answers.

"I see. You know they might buy that, but Angela, she probably won't."

"I'll deal with her."

"How's your face feeling?"

"It hurts a little."

"It's a really nice bluish purple color."

"Thanks."

"Do you want some ice for it?"

"No I'm ok."

"Are we ok?"

"We're better than ok."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh."

They finish their dinner and Booth collects the dishes. He rinses the dishes, and places them in the dishwasher. He finds her curled up on the couch with the cat and a baby name book. He sits down next to her.

"So how far have you gotten?"

"B... I'm on B."

"Anything stick out?"

"Not really."

"So when do you want to get married?"

"Before you leave."

"I don't know how we're going to be here. I mean this case is wrapping up. We'll be done in two weeks max."

"I know."

"Are you really sure that you want to get married?"

"Yes."

"Where are we going to get married?"

"What do you mean where are we going to get married?"

"Do you want to go to Vegas or..."

"No. I thought that we'd get married at church."

"Whoa. Who are you and where did Temperance Brennan go?"

"I didn't go anywhere."

"So why have you changed your mind so suddenly about all of this?"

"I'm going to be a parent."

"I know. I was there."

"I... in a few months I'm going to be bringing someone into this world. Someone who is going to depend on me. I've never had that much responsibility. I just want to do this right. I want to have a family. I don't want to have this awkwardness between you and I because we have a kid, and we're not married. I don't want to be single for the rest of my life. I didn't realize how much things change when you get pregnant."

"You really, really want to marry me?"

"Yes. And live with you, and raise a child with you."

"Our daughter."

"Yes."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Completely. I know that I try to keep you out, but I'm going to try not to do that. I know how important it is to you for me to open up."

"It's important for you to grow as a human being."

"I know."

"Are we really doing this?"

"Yes. Can I ask you something?"

"Yes anything," he smiles at her.

"When did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That you were in love with me?"

"I knew that you were going to be someone special in my life when I had homeland security detain you in the airport and you told me not to call you Bones. I knew I loved you when you were buried alive and I almost lost you."

"Oh."

"What about you? When did you know?"

"I don't know. I knew that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with you when you arrested my father."

He smiles at her. "When did you know you loved me?"

"I'm still debating that," she jokes.

"That's not funny."

"I don't know. I guess I feel like I've always known. I kept finding myself thinking that if you weren't my partner I'd still want to be with you. In the beginning you really grated on my nerves, and I thought that if you didn't walk away that you'd always be there."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't want to hold you back."

"From what?"

"I didn't want to be in a non-professional relationship with you that might not work, because then our professional relationship would follow. I could handle not seeing you romantically, but I couldn't handle not seeing you at all."

"And when I got shot and you thought I was dead. When you showed up in my house while I was in the bathtub?"

"I was going to tell you, but then I chickened out."

"Why?"

"Because you were in the tub naked with a beer hat on. It kind of threw me through a loop."

"I see."

"When you got shot the only thing that kept me going was knowing that you would want me to. That you would want me to keep bringing these people to justice."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I remember you telling me that months, and years go by and these people think they've gotten away with it and they lead their lives as if nothing has happened, and I stop that."

"I love you."

"I love you too, but I'm going to head to bed."


	15. Chapter 15

When he wakes up she's sitting on the bed Indian style with a laptop on her lap. He rubs his eyes and a tiny grey creature crawls on him.

"Good morning," he smiles.

"Morning," Temperance replies.

"I was talking to Ella."

"Sorry," she apologizes.

"So what are you doing?"

"Digging."

"Digging what?"

"I talked to Jeff this morning and found out some very interesting things."

"Such as?"

"Alice Kipling had a daughter."

"What do you mean had?"

"When her daughter was three years old she was at a babysitter's house, and she drowned in her pool."

"How long ago was this?"

"Seventeen years ago. She was married then."

"Oh."

"And we found Lily Carter's husband."

"Where?"

"At a bar."

"What did he say?"

"He was extremely inebriated so he told the police everything."

"Which was?"

"They we're having twins. He's a traveling salesmen, and he was worried about money. One night he and his wife had a fight about finances. He went to take a shower, when he came out she was asleep. He smothered her with a pillow."

"Why did he bury the babies separately?"

"Because he knew about the killings so he tried to make it look like the same person had killed her."

"That's sad."

"The forensics team collected several journals. So far they seem to correlate with Coby's story."

"Don't you have to go to work today?"

"Yeah."

"What time is it?"

"Six thirty," she answers.

"You have to be there in an hour."

"I know I'm getting ready to go get in the shower."

"Better hurry. I'll feed Ella."

"I got another call this morning."

"From?"

"Your boss."

"And?"

"He wants you back in D.C. by Saturday."

"Good to know."

The rest of that day progresses rather slowly. On Thursday evening Seeley is sitting in the middle of the living room floor when Temperance gets home from work. "What are you doing?" she asks.

"Nothing. I was playing with Ella, but she got tired, and decided to go take a nap."

"So you're in here all by yourself?"

"No, you're here now."

"Oh."

"I talked to Pastor Walker."

"And?"

"He agreed to marry us in his office tomorrow at five."

"Great."

"Where were you? It's almost six. I thought that school got out at three."

"It does."

"So what took so long?"

"I had some errands to run."

"Like what?"

"I had to get a dress."

"Can I see it?"

"No."

"Is it white?"

"No."

"What color is it?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"They're going to ask me about you when I go home."

"I sent in my formal request for a leave of absence."

"What about her?"

"Who? The baby?"

"No Temperance not the baby who has no name."

"I'll pick out a name," she promises.

"I meant Ella."

"What about her?"

"Does she stay or does she go?"

"I don't know. Do you want to take her?"

"Do you want to keep her?"

"I'll do whatever you'd like to do."

"It's going to be complicated when you come home."

"How do you mean?"

"You're going to be moving into a new house, with a new baby. You'll probably have to ship some of her stuff, and that's a lot of chaos all at once."

"So you want to take her with you, so that she'll be used to chaos."

"Exactly, and who better to prepare her for that, than Parker?"

"I see your point. You can take her."

"Are you sure?"

"I've got the baby, so..."

"It has to stay in there. She doesn't have a choice. She has to stay in you for several more months."

"I know."

"I got a call from Sweets while you were gone."

"And?"

"He said that he'd like to see us."

"That's going to be difficult since you'll be there, and I'll be here."

"I didn't tell him."

"Will you tell him?"

"That you're staying here for a while?"

"Uh huh."

"Yeah I can do that."

"Angela is going to be pissed at me isn't she?"

"Probably."

"But my private life is _my_ private life."

"Our."

"You know what I meant."

"Completely."

"Have you told Parker yet?"

"No. I'm going to tell him in person."

"That's probably better."

"Have you told Russ, or Max?"

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean not exactly?'

"I've talked to both of them. They know that I'm going to be here for a while, but they don't know about us, or the baby."

"You have to tell them. It's not an option they're your family. If you don't tell them I will."

"I just need to prepare."

"I understand."

She sits down on the couch. He joins her. Ella comes in from the other room and curls up between them.

"Are you going to be hyphenated?"

"Yes," she answers.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. When we get home, and get settled, and I go back to work we'll tell them."

"When are you coming back to work?"

"In a year."

"So she'll be six months old?"

"Give or take."

"Angela is going to be furious with you."

"I'm going to ease into it."

"How so?"

"First we tell them we're married, and then we tell them about her."

"Her... we need to find her a name."

"We've got months."

"I know," he groans.

"That's how it's going to work."

"That will never work."

"Why not?"

"It just won't."

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"On your first day back bring her with you."

"Why would I do that?"

"So they can ask."

"Why would I want to subject myself, and an innocent baby to such chaos and speculation?"

"If you have her with you they aren't going to do you any bodily harm for not telling them."

"Them? By them you mean Angela?"

"Exactly."

"I'm going to go hang my dress up," she tells him.

"Ok."

She hangs her dress up in the closet. When she comes out she finds him.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting on you."

"What for?"

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes why?"

"Good."

"Why?"

"I was going to go take a bath."

"Ok? Why are you waiting on me?"

"I thought you might like to join me."

"Thanks for the offer, but..."

"Temperance..."

"I'm exhausted. I am not up for any physical activity."

"In a couple of days I'm leaving for six months."

"I know."

"That's it?"

"I'm going to go to bed early tonight."

"Why?"

"So I can be rested for tomorrow."

"Oh," he smirks at her.

He heads for the bathroom. She starts reading a book. He comes back out.

"Did you forget something?" she asks looking up from her book.

He kisses her on the cheek. She looks at him suspiciously.

"Is this a ploy?"

"Would I..."

She cuts him off, "Is it a ploy?"

"Completely."

She kisses his soft lips. He sets the book aside. She disengages contact. "Not tonight."

He rolls his eyes and leaves her side groaning inwardly.


	16. Chapter 16

Monday April 6th 2009: Agent Seeley Booth walks into the Jeffersonian. His wedding band rests quietly in his breast pocket near his heart. He takes a deep breath before approaching the platform where all of the squints are waiting.

"Booth!" Angela smiles from ear to ear and squeezes him tightly.

"Nice to see you Seeley," Cam greets him as Angela lets go of him.

"Booth, nice to see you man," Hodgins informs him.

"So where is Brennan?" Angela asks, "Sweets is anxiously awaiting a visit from the two of you."

"Cam you didn't tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Angela questions.

"Clark will be staying here with us," she answers.

"That's great, why?" Angela smells suspicious circumstances.

"Dr. Brennan has decided to take a leave of absence," Cam informs them.

"For how long?" Angela's eyes dart to Booth.

"A year," he answers her.

"For what?"

"Angela she's assured me that she is coming back," Cam tries to talk her down.

"Why did she take a leave of absence?"

"She said that she'd like to focus on her book, and re-evaluate her personal, and professional goals."

"What did you do?" Angela's eyes burn through Booth.

"I didn't do anything," he tells half of the truth.

"So you knew that she wasn't coming back to the Jeffersonian?"

Cam and Hodgins excuse themselves.

Booth swallows hard and answers her, "Yes," with a nod.

"Why is she taking a leave of absence?"

"You'd have to ask her."

"I will."

"She's asleep right now."

"What do you mean? How would you know?"

"It's only five thirty."

"No it's seven thirty."

"In Arizona it's five thirty. Don't call her and wake her up."

"Wait a minute. You're telling me that she's still in Arizona?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying," he tells her.

"You left her in Arizona?"

"I didn't leave her, she chose to stay."

"So if I go to her apartment..."

"She won't be there."

"And you aren't just telling me this to keep me from bothering her?"

"No I'm not."

"I don't believe you. She wouldn't stay in Arizona."

"Whatever, don't believe me if you don't want to. I'm going to go see what Cam is up to."

"Clark has a case, he's in Bone storage."

"Thanks Angela."

"Uh huh."

She goes to her office. She pulls out her phone and dials Temperance's cell phone. After half a dozen rings she gets an answer.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"In bed asleep. Why are you calling me?"

"I woke you up?"

"Yes, Angela it's five forty seven in the morning."

"Where are you?"

"I told you I'm in bed asleep. Where are you?"

"I'm at work."

"I'm at home."

"At home in D.C.?"

"No at home," she yawns, "in Arizona."

"You're still in Arizona?"

"Yes Angela I am still in Arizona."

"Why?"

"Because it's calm here, and I like it."

"You are coming home right?"

"Yes of course. Angela can I talk to you later? I've got less than an hour before I have to get up, and I'm really tired."

"Yeah, sure," she agrees.

6 P.M Seeley finds himself sitting in Dr. Sweets office.

"Where is doctor Brennan?"

"Got your laptop?"

"Yeah why?"

"Can I see it?"

"I guess," Sweets hands Booth the laptop. Booth types something and then a window pops up. Temperance's face pops on to the screen.

"Dr. Brennan where are you?"

"Sitting at the dining room table."

"In your apartment?"

"No in the condo."

"You got a condo here?"

"No I'm still in Arizona."

"Oh," he makes a face.

"How's Ella?" Temperance asks.

"She's fine."

"Who is Ella?" Sweets questions.

"She's our kitten."

"A kitten you two got a kitten?"

"No we didn't get a kitten. She sort of just showed up one day," Booth explains.

"I see," he makes a note.

"So Sweets how are you?"

"Good Dr. Brennan thank you for asking."

"You're such a suck up," he directs at the computer.

"Shut up," she tells him.

"Am I correct in assuming that the two of you shared a bed while you were undercover?"

"Yes," Temperance smacks some gum.

"Did that evoke any feelings between the two of you?"

"What kind of feelings Sweets?" Booth questions.

"Romantic, or..."

"You want to know if we had sex?" Temperance questions Sweets directly.

"Yes," he answers.

"Sweets, I know that you're twelve and you don't entirely understand adult relationships, but it is possible for two adults to share a bed and not have sex."

"For four months?"

"Yes," she answers.

"So..."

"I think that we'd both admit that we became closer while we were undercover," Booth adds.

"Yes, we did. We learned a lot about each other."

"Sexually?"

"Emotionally," Booth corrects Sweets.

"Right. So Dr. Brennan how did you react to being pregnant?"

"It was difficult, but Booth made it easier."

"Did it get the two of you thinking about family?"

"Sweets I think that it's impossible to send two people undercover as a couple expecting a child and not have them think about family," Booth tells him.

"Dr. Brennan?"

"Of course I thought about family."

"Starting one of your own?" Sweets asks fairly.

"Yes it opened my eyes to a different kind of life."

"And what did you decide?"

"I am heavily weighing the options," she answers.

"And?"

"I am considering it very seriously."

"When?" Sweets probes.

"Whenever," she answers.

"Agent Booth what about you? Did it get you thinking about family?"

"Yeah of course Sweets. I'm not getting any younger and Parker is a great kid. If the right situation presented itself I would consider having another child."

"Dr. Brennan would like a child so would you, maybe the two of you could..."

"Whoa Sweets you're pushing it."

"So Dr. Brennan what are you doing in Arizona?"

"I'm teaching," she answers.

"Interesting," Sweets remarks.

"Sweets how is that interesting?"

"It just is."

"So did you get your thing-y approved?"

"Yeah," she answers.

"What thing-y?"

"My curriculum for next year," she answers.

"Oh," Sweets takes some more notes.

"Seeley did you get Ella's bed?"

"Yeah I stuffed it in my carry on."

"Good."

"Not good, now all my stuff has cat hair all over it."

"Sorry."

"It's no big deal it'll wash."

"So Dr. Brennan do you enjoy teaching?"

"Yes. I didn't expect that I would, but I really do."

"And Booth did you enjoy being a body guard?"

"It was relaxing, much calmer than this."

"Do you wish that you could have stayed?"

"My job is here. I work for the FBI. My son he's here."

"What about your partner?"

"Clark?"

"Dr. Brennan."

"She's there."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I wish that she were here, but she wants to be there, so I don't want to stand in her way."

"Dr. Brennan how do you feel about Booth being here and you not?"

"I've been with him for four months non-stop. It's nice to have a break from him."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

"Sweets I don't think that's what she meant."

"The time together strengthened our partnership because we better understand each other now. The time apart will also strengthen our partnership."

"I agree," Booth adds.

"We'll that's our session for today," Sweets smiles.

"Bye Sweets," Temperance waves.

"Bye Dr. Brennan."

"Talk to you later Seeley."

"Goodnight Temperance."

The video feed is terminated.

"You called her Temperance, and she called you Seeley."

"Do you have a point?"

"She calls you Booth and you call her Bones."

"Sweets we were undercover as a married couple for four months. We had to be convincing, first names are a prerequisite. We're just used to calling each other that now."

"Ok," he makes a note as Booth heads for the door.


	17. Chapter 17

Saturday September 5th 2009 (4 days before Temperance's due date)

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting here talking to you."

"I can see that."

"How is the house coming?"

"I'm moved in. Your books, cd's and stereo are also moved in."

"Parker?"

"He's settled."

"Did you get the stuff I shipped?"

"One crib, a changing table, a basinet, a truckload of clothes, blankets and accessories, a high chair, a stroller, a car seat, I think that was it."

"I didn't ship all of that. Just the crib and changing table. The other stuff I ordered online and had shipped there."

"Oh. I see."

"All of the clothes need to be washed in..."

"Bones I've had a baby before I know."

"I have some clothes, a car seat, a playpen, diapers, bottles, and a diaper bag here."

"So are you packed?"

"Yes. I am ready to come home."

"Is all of her stuff packed?"

"I laid out what she'll need until we leave, but everything else is packed."

"Everything?"

"Mostly. I mean I have to pack a few things. My laptop, and phone, and charger, and such."

"Did you finish your book?"

"Which one?"

"What do you mean which one?"

"I finished two of them."

"You must be really inspired."

"Mostly bored."

"I sent them off to the publisher last week."

"So are you ready?"

"For what?"

"To have her?"

"She's worn out her welcome."

"I meant are you mentally, and emotionally ready?"

"I think so."

"Is she ready?"

"She doesn't seem to care to get here anytime soon."

"What are we going to name her?"

"I don't know."

"I like the name Grace."

"That's fine... as a middle name."

"But?"

"Not as a first name."

"What is her first name going to be?"

"I don't know. I'll tell you when I see her."

"What did the doctor say?"

"That he thinks she's going to be past her due date."

"How far?"

"I don't know, but I don't think that she really wants to come out."

"I'm ready for you to come home."

"Me too."

"What are we doing with your furniture?"

"The bed goes to the house, the table goes to the house. Pretty much all of the other furniture can just go."

"So load the bed and table, and chairs and leave the rest in case you change your mind?"

"Uh huh."

"You've got some packing to do when you get here."

"You have packing to do. I'll supervise."

"Why?"

"Because I'm pregnant."

"You won't be then."

"I'll be recovering."

"Right," he sighs.

September 22nd (1 week 6 days after Temperance's due date):

"I just finished lunch. How are you doing?" he questions.

"I'm fine."

"Did you go to work today?"

"No I had a doctor's appointment this morning."

"And?"

"He wants to induce my labor tomorrow."

"I can't believe she isn't here yet."

"I've tried everything. I walk, and I've eaten spicy food. I've tried just about everything."

"What are you doing right now?"

"Walking around the block."

"Why?"

"I want her to come on her own. I don't want all of those drugs."

"If the doctor..."

"The doctor just wants to deliver her before the weekend."

"And you don't?"

"I just want her out. She's sitting on my bladder. I have to pee every five and a half seconds."

"Sorry. So when is he inducing you?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. I have to go in at noon."

"My bags are packed I'll check flights. I'll head out on the next one."

"I'm..."

"I don't want to miss it."

"Hopefully by this time tomorrow we'll have a baby."

"Are you nervous?"

"Uh huh."

"Scared?"

"Yes."

"Ready to come home?"

"Absolutely."

"Call me if anything changes."

"Ok. I'll talk to you later."

"Love you bye."

"Love you too," she hangs up.

Booth gets a flight at 2:30 he arrives in Phoenix at 9:30, or 7:30 Arizona time. He arrives at their condo in Sun City at 7:57.

He unlocks the door and walks in. It's rather quiet.

"Anyone home?" he yells out knowing that she's home because her car is in the parking lot.

"Up here," she responds.

He drops his bag in the hall. He makes his way upstairs and finds her on the couch.

"How is it going?"

"I'm glad you didn't wait until morning."

"Why? What's going on? Did you try to call? My phone died and..."

"I started having contractions."

"When?"

"Around four thirty."

"How far apart are they?"

"Seven or eight minutes."

"That's good right?"

"They're getting closer together. I was waiting on you."

"Where's your bag?"

"In the bedroom."

"The carseat?"

"It's in the car."

He wonders to the bedroom, and grabs her bag. He makes his way back to the living room.

"Is everything that you need in here?"

"Yup."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

He helps her down the stairs. He grabs her car keys and they head off to the Hospital. She gets admitted and the doctor checks her progress.

"Six centimeters," he tells them.

She sighs in relief as the doctor leaves the room.


	18. Chapter 18

Friday April 3rd 2009:

When she wakes up it's still dark outside. She feels a pair of socked feet entangled in hers. She couldn't wear socks to bed. It was irrational, but it irritated her beyond belief. Even when they were asleep he could tell she had cold feet, and he would sandwich her feet between his. He read her so well. She breathes in the smell of his soap. Her nose is pressed up against his chest as she lies awake. She closes her eyes and begins to think about them. The way he always took care of her, and protected her. The way he knew what was going on with her even, when she wasn't entirely sure herself. This man who took a bullet for her. A man she would die for, and kill for. Her friend, her lover, and in a few hours, her husband. No one knew her like he did. Laying in bed with him, with his arms snaked around her in his sleep, this was when she felt the safest. And when he wasn't there she felt lost. Even if he just ran to the store for a few minutes when he was gone she felt like something was missing. Now it was all falling into place. He was hers to keep. No one could take him away from her. In the space between their bodies lays a tiny kitten. Between her pillow and his, a kitten blanketed in the safety he provided her. With their bodies intertwined, their desires, goals, and most of all their souls also lay intertwined. And between them even their DNA was intertwined. She quietly moves her hand to her stomach feeling the little bump. Thinking about the life inside of her, the one that they had created. A little girl that they would meet in a few months. Their little girl, between them, bringing them closer. She begins to fall back into a state of unconsciousness under warm blankets next to her soul mate. She had never believed in soul mates until she met him. She never believed in forever until she met him.

When he wakes up her head is buried in his chest, one hand is near his shoulder, the other resting on her stomach. He smells her shampoo from the night before. Her hair is still damp. He opens his eyes and stares at her face. The face of his partner. Of his friend. Of the mother of their child, as his soon to be wife. He could never have guessed that they'd end up like this. Together, starting a family, getting married. He felt unable to breath when she wasn't with him. When he wasn't by his side reminding him that he was a hero. When he held her close to him, like this he could feel her heart beat, nothing in the world could go wrong when he was in bed next to her, just before the rest of the world woke up. She was beautiful, inside and out. He wonders what their child will look like. He asks himself how things are going to work once he returns to D.C. He ponders what will happen between them, and between their cohorts when she returns to D.C., with their baby daughter in tow. He kept thinking that it might be a dream, that soon he'd wake up and they'd be back in D.C., just partners. He lays in bed quietly staring at her, feeling her heartbeat, thinking of her, listening to her breath.

She feels his eyes burning through her face. She feels his lips on her forehead. She feels his rough, unshaven cheek next to her. She opens her eyes and stares into his big brown orbits. Would their daughter look like him? Have his eyes? It didn't matter. She stares at him for a few moments saying nothing.

As per usual he breaks the silence. "Good morning."

She smiles back at him, "Good morning."

"We're getting married today," he reminds her.

"I know," she smiles.

"Are you hungry? I'll make you breakfast."

"Just stay here. I'm not ready for you to get up yet."

"Ok."

"I'm not ready for you to leave me yet."

"I'll call you everyday."

"I know."

"And you have the best part of us with you."

"I want you."

"I have to go back, you can come back with me."

"No I need to do it this way."

"Ok," he agrees.

It proves to be a warm spring day. She insists upon taking separate cars, she doesn't want him to see her. He was standing in the pastor's office, by his desk waiting on her when the doors open and she walks through them. Her hair is in a million curls, her blue eyes are sparkling, and her pale pink dress artfully hides her baby bump. She smiles at him. She joins him in front of the desk. The pastor smiles at them. They each pull out a piece of paper. They read them to each other, and a covenant is entered. Rings are exchanged. A kiss seals the deal, and they leave. They go back to their condo. They go back as husband and wife. He carries her over the threshold. His red tie, and suit, they disappear. Her dress is soon forgotten, as they remind each other why they are together.


	19. Chapter 19

September 22nd 2009 11:36 P.M.: She's as red as a beat, sweat pouring from her head, and her hair plastered with it. He holds her hand and can hear her jaw clench. She squeezes his hand and finally a scream breaks the trance that they're in.

"It's a girl," the doctor announces as they place the infant on her chest.

They both stare at her in silence.

September 23rd 2009 6 A.M.

He sits in a chair next to her watching. She sleeps quietly. He turns his head and stares at the baby in his arms. He hears the sheet on the hospital bed move. He looks at his wife, and she stares back at him in a state of exhaustion and joy.

"Can..."

Before she can finish the sentence he hands the baby to her.

"I can't believe how big she is," he remarks.

"You didn't push her nine pound three ounce body out of you."

"That's true."

"I can't believe she has so much hair."

"I can't believe it's red," he smiles.

"Where did she get red hair?"

"I... I don't know. You know we can't call her she forever. We need to give her a name."

"I know."

"Do you have any that you like?"

"Peyton Arizona-Grace Booth."

"What about the Brennan?"

"That's too many names. Do you like the name Peyton?"

"I do, but even it I didn't it wouldn't matter. You carried her for nine months, and you gave birth to her, so you can call her whatever you'd like."

There is a long period of silence.

"Temperance are you ok?"

"I'm fine why?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. Why do you keep asking?"

"Because you passed out, and you had to have two units of blood."

"Yes, I know."

"Are you ok with this?"

"With what?"

"Do you regret this?"

"No. I'm glad that you're irritating, and annoying, and that you dragged me across the United States to go undercover and catch a murderer."

"Thanks, I think."

"If you hadn't we wouldn't have her."

"Are you crying?"

"No," she lies.

"Why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"Are you sad?"

"No."

"Upset?"

"No. I'm glad that she's here. I'm glad that you're here. I'm glad that we're all here together."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Because..."

"Stop. You're ruining this."

"Ruining what?"

"This time with her."

"Temperance you're going to have nearly six months with her."

"But these are her first moments."

"Can I hold her?"

"No."

"She's my..."

"I'm not done."

"Temperance.."

"Seeley you can't have her."

"Why not?"

"You don't have the right equipment."

"What are you talking about? She's asleep what does that have to do with equipment?"

As if on cue the baby starts crying. "Shh, You're ok," Temperance reassures her.

He watches her closely.

"Why is she crying?"

"She's hungry," Temperance answers.

"Of course she is,"he rolls his eyes.

"You're beautiful."

"Thanks," he smiles at her obnoxiously.

"I wasn't talking to you," she looks at him.

"I know. She is beautiful."

"But that isn't important. I'd love you no matter what you looked like."

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Why? Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm going to go get a cup of coffee if you..."

"I'm fine. We're fine."

"Are you sure because?"

"I've got it under control."

"When you go into mommy-mode you really take it seriously."

"Why wouldn't I? You only get one shot."

"One?"

"Yup one," she answers.

"I'm going to get a cup of coffee do you want anything? Do you want some coffee?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

He leaves the room. When he returns he can hear Temperance's voice. He stops in the doorway and just watches her, and listens to her voice. She carefully burps the infant. She lifts her off her shoulder and cradles her. She pulls off the baby's cap and runs her fingers through her hair.

"Hi Peyton. Don't tell daddy, but I don't think you look a thing like him. No, you look like mommy. You're so sweet," the baby opens her eyes and Temperance continues, "Hi blue eyes."

Temperance kisses the baby. Booth walks into the room.

"Did you miss me?"

"How long were you standing in the doorway?"

"Long enough."

"Do you want her?"

"Of course I do, am I allowed to have her?"

"I guess," she answers.

He carefully scoops the baby out of her arms.

"Hi beautiful. Are you ready to go home? I know, mommy is tired, and she should go to sleep."

"I'm fine," she argues.

September 25th 2009:

"Well Peyton this is the airport. We get to go home today," Seeley tells her as he sits next to Temperance in the waiting area.

"Is the house done?"

"Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"Everything is there except the two of you, and your stuff."

"I know. I have lots of sorting to do."

"That means daddy gets to hold you while mommy packs. I know gorgeous, you're getting tired of mommy. She's clingy isn't she?"

"I am not clingy."

"No you're just a mama bear now."

"Excuse me?"

"Temperance you won't let her out of your sight. Last night you sat in a chair next to her playpen all night."

"So?"

"She slept for a solid three hours."

"I know, but what if she stops breathing?"

"She's not going to. You're being irrational."

"Flight 209 to Dulles International now boarding."

They board the plane. They find their seats in first class. They buckle. Temperance stares at Seeley who is sitting next to the window.

"What?" he asks.

"I think my arms fell asleep."

"I'll take her."

She reluctantly hands the baby over. He makes sure that she's securely wrapped in her pink blanket. He fixes her hat, and kisses her. Temperance hands him a pacifier.

"Is this for me or the baby?"

"It's for Peyton."

"Ok," he coaxes the pacifier into her mouth as she sleeps.

Ten minutes after take off Temperance's head is on Seeley's shoulder. A flight attendant puts a blanket over her as she snores.


	20. Chapter 20

When they arrive at Dulles Temperance is refreshed from her nap. She had slept the entire time they were on the plane. She woke up for their lay over, and then went right back to sleep, leaving Seeley to his own devises with their baby. When they arrive at baggage claim Temperance holds the baby as Seeley watches for their luggage.

"Don't be mad at me," he tells her.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"I talked to your dad."

"So? I talked to him too. He knows we're..."

"I talked to him last night."

"And?"

"And he's sitting over there waiting on us."

Temperance follows his line of sight. Seeley grabs their luggage off the conveyer belt. Temperance stands perfectly still. After collecting a carseat, a playpen, and a carry-on Seeley turns to her.

"Do you want help?"

"Can you put her in the car seat?" he asks with a diaper bag, and a carry-on hanging over his shoulder.

"Uh huh," she agrees.

She carefully fastens the sleeping infant in the carseat, and picks it up. She secures the blanket around her, and he moves towards Max.

"Seeley..."

"Come on," he tells her.

"But..."

"He's your father."

"I know," she groans.

They move into Max's line of sight. He starts moving towards them.

"Tempe," he greets her with a big smile.

"Hi," she smiles.

"This must be Peyton," he studies the sleeping infant.

"Yes."

"Max why don't you follow us back to the house? We can visit there," Seeley suggests.

"Ok," he agrees.

Temperance goes eerily silent. Seeley helps her into the car with the baby. She sits in the back seat next to Peyton.

"Why are you being so quiet?"

"You invited him over."

"So? He's your dad."

"But..."

"But what?"

"I..."

"Temperance I already told him he can visit whenever he wants all he has to do is call."

"But he doesn't know where we live."

"Yes he does," Seeley argues from behind the wheel.

"How?"

"He's helped me out with the house a lot."

"I see."

"Are you mad at me?"

"You can't just invite him into our lives like that."

"Why not? I'm your husband."

"But it's my decision to make. I'm not sure that I want him around Peyton."

"Why?"

"He's a murderer."

"Temperance he's our daughter's grandfather. He has th best of intentions. He won't hurt her. He just wants to be in our life."

"How can you know that he won't hurt her?"

"Because he knows that I'll kill him if he does."

"Don't you think that you're being a little extreme?"

"Not at all. When it comes to your family you do anything to protect them, even if it's from someone else in your family."

"Did you talk to Rebecca?"

"She's bringing Parker over tomorrow."

"Ok."

Fifteen minutes later they arrive at their house. Temperance unbuckles the baby, and wraps her up. Seeley helps her out of the car. She follows him in the front door. She wonders around the house leaving the baby with him. He allows her to take the tour on her own. When she returns to the ground floor he's sitting on the couch with the baby.

"I don't want to pack," she whines.

"Don't whine."

"But..."

"Just be thankful that we're home."

"Ok," she agrees moving in for the baby.

Max comes in the front door. Without warning he snaps a picture of the three of them. "Dad that was uncalled for," Temperance tells him.

"Maybe so," he agrees moving toward her. He gives the camera to Booth, and stands in front of Temperance silently asking her. She groans inwardly not wanting to let go for one second.

"Do I get to hold my granddaughter or not?" Max asks.

Temperance nods, and carefully stands up. She gently places Peyton in Max's waiting arms.

"Don't drop her," Temperance warns.

"I've..." he begins to argue but decides other wise. He sits down in a chair a few feet from where Temperance is standing. "Is that better?" he asks.

She nods and sits down next to Seeley.

Hours later Max finally leaves. Temperance retreats to the bathroom for a nice soak in the tub, leaving Peyton with him. When she gets out of the bathtub she puts on her robe and dries her hair. She wanders out of the master bathroom, into the bedroom, out the door, down the hall to the first door on her right. She stops in the doorway and watches. He unfastens the pink sleeper on the table and carefully begins putting it on her. He gently fastens each button being careful not to pinch her skin. He lifts her off the changing table and swaddles her in his arms. He grabs a pacifier off the table and puts it in her mouth. "Are you ready for bed?" he asks the little redhead. He turns around and finds Temperance standing in the doorway.

"You know you don't have to sneak around. I knew you were there the whole time."

"I just like to watch you."

"Why?"

"Because it's sweet," she admits.

He places Peyton in her crib, and walks away. Temperance flips off the light, and he follows her out of the room. "I'm going to take a shower," he tells her.

"Ok," she yawns.

When he gets out of the shower Temperance is fast asleep with her lamp still on. He flips off the lamp, and sneaks out of the room. He peaks into the nursery and finds his daughter sleeping soundly. He returns to the bedroom, and slide underneath the covers next to Temperance.

The following morning he gets up with Peyton just after eight. He grabs a bottle from the fridge and puts it in the microwave. He's burping her when there is a knock on the door. With Peyton in his arms he answers the door. Parker steps inside sitting his backpack down next to the door, quickly closing it behind him.

"Shhཀ Temperance is still sleeping," he warns Parker.

"Is that my sister?"

"Yeah buddy this is Peyton."

"Can I hold her?"

"If you go sit down on the couch," Seeley instructs.

He puts a pillow under Parker's arm, and then very gently places the baby in his arms. Parker silently studies the baby.


	21. Chapter 21

March 5th 2010:

"She's going to be back Monday right?" Angela questions.

"Yes Angela she'll be here Monday, bright and early," Booth answers her.

"Is she home now because it..."

"Angela she's exhausted give her a little bit of time to rest."

"I haven't seen her in over a year."

"You saw her yesterday."

"Not in person."

"I know, but you'll just have to wait a little bit longer."

"I don't think I can," Angela argues.

"You can I promise."

"Are you sure that there's nothing going on with her?"

"Why do you keep asking that?"

"Because she seems different lately."

"Don't you think that it's possible the time away from you has changed her?"

"That's low."

"She's fine."

"But is there something going on with her?"

"How would I know?"

"Because she tells you everything."

"Ange..."

"Booth tell me the truth did something happen between the two of you while you were undercover?"

"Maybe."

"You are so frustrating."

"Ange it's time for us to go home."

"She's probably not sleeping yet it's only eight thirty I could just drop by her apartment and..."

"Angela she's not at her apartment."

"How do you know?"

"She moved."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"She didn't want me to."

"Why not Booth?"

"She doesn't want you to harass her."

"I'm going home," she huffs in irritation.

"Good," he smirks at her.

When he arrives home the house is quiet, and mostly dark. The glow of the T.V. draws him into the living room. Temperance and Parker have the coffee table shoved aside, and are asleep on a blanket in front of the T.V. Temperance's head is resting against the side of the sectional, and Parker's head is laying on a pillow on her lap. There is a bowl of popcorn spilled next to Temperance's foot. He looks around the room, and find the playpen sitting behind the sofa. He carefully walks around the couch and finds Peyton in her playpen with a couple of playschool people. She has a firefighter in one hand, and a little girl in her mouth. "Excuse me what are you doing?" he asks her. She takes the toy out of her mouth and smiles at him. She drops the toys and reaches up for him. He lifts her out of the playpen, and wanders back around the couch. He flips off the T.V.

"Why did you turn the T.V. off we were watching a movie," Temperance asks him.

"You were both asleep."

"No we weren't."

"He's drooling, and you were snoring."

"Booth I don't snore."

"Yes you do Bones."

She carefully slips out from under Parker. She and Booth make their way to the kitchen. He flips on the lights and she sits down at the table. He puts Peyton on the table in front of Temperance and opens the refrigerator.

"You know you have to go back to work on Monday."

"I'm ready."

"Are you going to be able to leave her with the nanny?"

"The nanny isn't coming on Monday."

"Right I forgot. You want to completely piss Cam off on your first day off."

"That's not the objective."

"Cam isn't going to be the problem."

"I know."

"Angela is going to kill you."

"No she won't."

"But she'll consider it for at least ten seconds."

"As long as she only considers it."

"You know what this means right?"

"No."

"I get to wear my wedding ring now."

"Do you even know where it is?"

He rolls his eyes as he tosses a grilled cheese into a skillet on the stovetop. He yanks his tie off and tosses it on the counter. He pulls the chain from underneath his shirt.

"I know where it is."

March 8th 2010:

Temperance arrives at the Jeffersonian at seven. She's in her office by seven ten, and is on the computer five minutes later. She checks her email as Peyton sits between her and the keyboard. By seven thirty she's done on the computer. "Let's go to bone storage," she tells's Peyton as she pushes away from her desk. She slides the baby on her hip, and heads off to bone storage. With one arm she holds Peyton, and with the other she pulls a clear bin out of the wall. She pulls out a skull, a femur, a tibia, a few ribs, a mandible, and a radius. Peyton sits on the table as she examines the bones. Peyton uses Temperance as support. Temperance is studying the skull when Peyton starts to crawl away. "Whoaཀ" Temperance sits down the skull and grabs Peyton off the table. She tosses her gloves in the biohazard container and returns to her office. She opens the playpen and sits Peyton inside it. She tosses in a couple of toys, and then wheels it out of her office. She pushes the playpen against the wall and puts on another pair of gloves. As she examines the skull the noise begins. "Ma-maཀ Ma-maཀ"

"Peyton I'm right here," Temperance assures her.

"Da-daཀ Da-daཀ"

"Peyton he's not here."

"Ma-maཀ"

Temperance rolls her eyes and sits the skull on the table again. She pulls off her gloves and walks over to the playpen. "What do you want?" she asks. Peyton smiles charmingly and reaches up for her. Temperance lifts her out of the playpen. "How am I supposed to get any work done if I'm holding you?"

She puts the bones back in the clear container and jams it back into the hole in the wall. She returns to her office with Peyton on her hip wheeling a playpen behind her. She sits down at her computer and begins typing an email to Booth. Her back is turned to the door when she hears heels clicking on the floor not far away. She types away hoping to finish before whoever it is enters the office. She hits send, and closes the window just as Angela comes into the office.

"Brenཀ"

Temperance turns around and smiles at Angela. Angela's near constant smiles disappears in a single instant. She looks at Temperance with scrutiny and a furrowed brow. Angela says nothing she just watches as Temperance sits at her desk with a baby on her lap.

"Angela are you ok?" Temperance asks.

"I'm...I'm sort of confused."

"Uh huh," Temperance nods in understanding.

"Are you going to explain?"

"Do I have to?"

Angela studies the baby sitting on Temperance's lap. She very cautiously moves behind the desk. She reaches for the smiling little girl, and Temperance nods. Peyton hides her face in Angela's shoulder.

"Hi sweetieཀ" Angela smiles, "Are you shy?"

"She's not shy, she's just sleepy," Temperance answers.

"Temperance," Angela uses her first name, "who is this?"

"Her name is Peyton."

"How old is she?"

"Six months."

"You've withheld a lot of information from me haven't you?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," Angela shrugs, "Oh wait... yes I do. You had a baby six months ago."

"Who says she's mine?"

"Sweetie she looks like you," Angela pauses and stares at the chubby faced baby, "And Booth. You had a baby with Booth and you didn't tell me? What made you think that it would be ok not to tell me?"

Peyton starts to whimper, and Temperance reaches for her. Angela hands her back willingly. She's quiet as she watches Temperance pat the infant's back.


	22. Chapter 22

"You got married?"

Temperance looks at the ring on her hand, but says nothing.

"To Booth? You went to Arizona, and had sex with Booth? You went undercover as a woman who was married to Booth, and was having his child, and you come back, and in reality you're married to Booth and have his child?"

"Angela..."

"You had a shotgun wedding, and you didn't even mention it to me?"

"What makes you think that it was a shotgun wedding?"

"Please. How long have you really been back in D.C.?"

"About six months."

"And you didn't think to drop in and mention that you got married and had a baby? With Booth?"

"Maybe I didn't."

"You did."

"What makes you assume that I did all of this with Booth?"

"Honey, I might be out of the loop, but I'm not deaf, blind or stupid."

"Why are you so upset? I thought that you'd be happy."

"I'm upset that you didn't tell me. I am happy that you finally realized that you were in love with Booth, even if it took you getting knocked up."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have told you, but I wasn't ready."

"I'm your best friend."

"I know that, but the past year, or so has been a rollercoaster for me. I needed time and space to figure things out, and to process them, without everyone else's opinions."

"I'm going to need time to adjust," Angela admits.

"Ok."

"Can I have her?"

"Why?"

"I need to bond with her. She's six months old, and she's just now meeting her auntie Angela."

"Where are you taking her?"

"To my office."

"Just wait, a little while, I'll bring her to you."

"Why can't I take her now?"

"Have you seen Cam yet this morning?"

"No why? Oh... right, I'm going to go to my office. I don't want to be here when she finds out."

"Don't you want to hear what goes on?"

"I'll be able to hear her from my office," Angela assures Temperance.

Angela leaves for her office, and Temperance remains in her chair. Peyton has just passed out when she hears the click, click, click of heels coming toward her. Temperance holds Peyton tightly, and kisses the back of her head. She moves Peyton off her shoulder, into her lap. She holds her as the woman with the clicking heels comes into sight. Luckily Cam is reading a file as she enters the office. "Dr. Brennan I've got a body on the platform that I'd like you to examine. I have the toxicology report right here, but Hodgins hasn't identified the particulates yet. I have the file here if you want it," Cam finally looks up when she reaches Temperance's desk. She lays the file on the desk and stares at Temperance. "Please tell me that I am hallucinating."

"How could I tell you that when I don't know what you think that you're seeing?"

"What is that?"

"Where?"

"Dr. Brennan what is on your lap?"

"It's not a what, it's a who. Her name is Peyton."

"That's nice. Why do you have a baby on your lap? You are supposed to be at work. I don't care what...," she takes a deep breath in attempt to calm herself.

"I can leave," Temperance offers.

"I should have known that this would happen."

"That what would happen?"

"That you'd fall in love with him."

"I never meant to," Temperance defends herself.

"That doesn't matter. You fell in love with him."

"It's not a crime."

"You have a child with him?"

"Yes."

"Anything else you want to tell me?"

"We got married."

"You got married? You and Booth got married? What happened while you were away?"

"I got pregnant, and..."

"A shotgun wedding?"

"Yes," she nods in confirmation.

"And you are O.K. with that?"

"I love him."

"You weren't supposed to come back married, with a child."

"Why are you so upset? Do you still have feelings for him?"

"No, I am upset for a more selfish reason."

"And what is that, exactly?"

"How is this supposed to work? I finally get you back here, and you have a baby. You are the best anthropologist in the world. How are you supposed to doy our job, with a baby? A baby changes everything."

"I know."

"And you're ok with that? You're ok with the sacrifices that you are going to have to make?"

"I have to be. Having a baby does not change my ability to solve crimes. I will get the job done, like I always have."

"What's the stipulation?"

"One of us has to be home, to put her to sleep, every night."

"Do you have a nanny? I am not ok with you bringing her to work with you everyday."

"Can we compromise?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I bring her two days a week."

"Fine," she huffs.

"Why are you so frustrated?"

"I thought that you would come back, and maybe the two of you would have realized that you have feelings for each other. I never thought that you would confess them to each other, and act on them. And, I am a little bit irritated that you didn't think to call and tell me. It would have been nice to be in the loop. I hate being blindsided."

"It won't happen again, believe me."


End file.
